Family of Jesus Beltran in mourning after he was killed by a gunman at a bus stop on Christmas
PHOENIX - Phoenix Police are searching for who shot and killed a father on Christmas morning.
Officers found the 34-year-old's body at a park-and-ride on 19th Avenue and Montebello and his family has been in mourning ever since.
Jesus Beltran was on his way to spend Christmas with his 2-year-old daughter, but his life was cut short when police say he was shot multiple times at a bus stop.
"I'm in denial. I don't believe that it's true," his mother, Maria Trejo, said.
"I didn't want to believe it. It didn't seem real," said Denalee Hemmrich, the mother of Beltran's daughter.
Just after 5:30 a.m. police found him near a transit center with multiple gunshot wounds.
"I have no idea as to why somebody would want to do this to him. I have no idea," said his aunt, Bertha Carrillo.
Christmas morning was supposed to be filled with family. Instead, his family was left wondering where he was.
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"Christmas wasn't Christmas for us this year. He does have a daughter that he was supposed to go home to that day to unwrap presents with her," Carrillo said.
"Jesus was planning to be there to open presents. He bought her a hellcat charger, like a power wheel. He was super excited to share that with her and he never showed up," Hemmrich said.
Later that night, his family got the news, and now they're determined to get answers.
"I want justice for this because it was wrong," said Carrillo.
"We need clarity, we need justice, some kind of peace for us so we can move forward. It will be easier to know why and move forward," Trejo said.
His family is coming together to help raise Beltran's 2-year-old daughter, who will have to grow up without her father.
"He just wanted to work hard and provide for Ayla. That's it. That's what he lived for," Hemmrich said.
Phoenix Police say detectives are actively developing leads.
Silent Witness is offering a reward up to $2,000 for information leading to an arrest.
Jesus' family has set up a GoFundMe for funeral expenses.
The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 10 Reporter Lindsey Ragas.