Man dies trying to defend food truck from robbery

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Friends and family members are remembering a man who was killed protecting others.

"He was protecting one woman and two men at the taco wagon," said "Hillbilly" a transient friend of the victim. "He died a hero."

His name was Thomas Cox. Those who cared for him looked past the fact he was homeless.

"He was a good guy," said Fred O'Brien, barber shop owner.

Many business owners knew him as "Lee".

"He would clean the barber shop for me," O'Brien said.

A kind person, they said, who truly wanted to work for a living.

"He wasn't out stealing, he was trying to survive," said Glen Killingsworth, a body shop business manager.

Over the weekend it was no different. Lee was waiting to clean up a food truck on the 7700 block of Almeda Genoa Rd. for a few bucks. It was something he had done before.

"He saw the robbers come up and demanded money," said a close friend.

"Lee" tried to defend the employees inside the truck but it turned deadly.

"The guys that killed him was crazy," said resident Willie Eaglin who knew "Lee" as a hardworking man.

Crime Stoppers is now offering a $5,000 reward for anyone with information that leads to an arrest. It's released images of the men behind the murder. Another business owner nearby told Eyewitness News he believes his cameras captured the moment the men parked behind his business. They were seen leaving for a few minutes then running back to the car and take off.

"They're getting away with it and it needs to stop," said "Hillbilly".