The Hood family spoke with Eyewitness News during a dinner they planned to celebrate Andrew Placencia finally facing a judge for his role in a fight that investigators said started over a card game.
"It's nothing (deeper) than that. You killed a man over Uno cards," a judge said during Placencia's hearing on Friday.
The prosecutor asked for a $250,000 bond, but the judge set Placencia's bond at $100,000. He is accused of causing Wayland Hood's death at the party in Baytown.
"He was the love of my life. He really was, " Hood's widow, Kelly, said.
She said they were celebrating with family and friends when a fight started during a game of Uno. Her husband broke it up, which reportedly angered Placencia's brother, who allegedly said, "If you don't take care of that, we aren't family."
"All of a sudden, AJ came and hit him out of the blue," Hood said. "Wayland didn't see it. He got hit in the eye, and he went down."
The medical examiner ruled Hood's death a homicide, leading to Placencia's arrest on Thursday.
Wendell Hood is Wayland's brother. "I made a pact with God that I would not seek him if he would keep him out of my path, and that happened. Yesterday, justice was served, and I feel free today," he said.
Wendell said their family doesn't hate their former friends, but they do hate what happened.
"I hope he realizes what he did to us," Kelly said. "He took away a brother. He took away a husband. He took away a grandfather. He took away a friend."
Hood's sister-in-law, Lauren, described him as "very family-oriented, fun, and loving."
Placencia is expected back in court on Monday, May 22.
It will be another step toward the justice his family has waited for since the new year.
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