"That kind of stuff [doesn't] happen over in this Liberty County area," said neighbor Balraj Singh.
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Gurjitpal Singh, 22, was working at a store at the corner of Highway 90 and FM 563 in Liberty when he was shot twice and later died.
The store did not have surveillance video of the suspect and Liberty police did not release a possible motive, but store manager Satish Nakarmi said he spoke to an eyewitness.
"He had an argument with a guy who was drunk and he wanted him to leave the store and not come back, but he kept coming back," explained Nakarmi. "After about 15 minutes, I don't know who, but it seems the same guy came and shot him twice."
The gunman took off.
Police did not release a description of him or his vehicle.
Singh, who was known to customers as Vishal, lived with his sister and brother-in-law, Kamalpreet Singh.
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He worked to support his parents back home in India, Kamalpreet Singh told ABC13.
They were looking forward to a rare vacation, one that was supposed to start Tuesday.
"We were going to go to San Antonio [and] Austin. We were going to leave [Tuesday] morning," said Kamalpreet Singh. "God has a different plan for him."
He thought of his wife's brother like his own. He was welcoming and full of life, he said. Now his family and friends are hopeful that police can close this case for a community that rarely records a murder.
"I hope they catch him and he gets what he deserves," he said.
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The Liberty Police Department is being assisted by the Texas Rangers.
Persons of interest have been identified, they said in a release. However, police are also asking for the public's help.
Anyone with information is urged to call the Liberty Police Department at 936-336-5666. Tipsters can remain anonymous.
Relatives have set up a GoFundMe to raise funds for transporting the clerk's remains to India.
For updates on this report, follow ABC13 reporter Jessica Willey on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.