'I was going to be dead': Contractor brutally beaten by intruder recalls what he did to stay alive

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A contractor was brutally beaten and attacked by a masked man during a home invasion in the Memorial area.

Phillip, who doesn't want his last name revealed out of safety, owns a construction company and was doing paint work for a customer on Misty Meadow Lane on Feb. 2.

When Phillip was leaving the back door around 6 p.m., he stood face-to-face with a masked intruder.

"He put the gun to my face and told me to go back inside and not do anything stupid," Phillip recalled. "He then tells me to lay down."

The homeowner, a woman in her 60s, wasn't home at the time. Phillip was brutally beaten with the suspect's fists and a pipe, and his teeth were knocked out.

"He busted out most of my upper teeth with his fist and a pipe he had," Phillip said. "After he knocked out my teeth, he put them in his pocket or in a bag or something."

Philip was then dragged to the bathroom, where he was tied up. The marks from the zip ties are still visible on his ankles and wrists. He also has a scar on his face from where he was cut with a knife.

Surveillance video shows the suspect inside the house for an hour, what felt like an eternity to Phillip. He said the beatings were on and off, between the suspect rummaging through the home.

"He would beat me and go check the house. Sometimes he would check to see if I was still there," Phillip said. "Other times he would come in, beat me, and question me about where certain things were."

Enough time had passed for Phillip to take a chance and protect himself. He was able to free one of his hands from the zip tie and stood with his back to the bathroom door, as his ankles were still tied.

The suspect, still not satisfied, came back.

"He kicked the door off the hinges, but I guess he wasn't stronger than me, so I held the door," Phillip recalled. "He said he was going to shoot me."

Phillip screamed for help and made as much noise as possible, grabbing the attention of a neighbor's dog. He credits the barking dog for scaring the intruder away, who was seen on surveillance video leaving the house in Phillip's red pick-up truck.

The homeowners personal belongings and televisions were lined up, but left behind, as if the suspect was getting ready to load everything into the truck.

ORIGINAL REPORT: HPD searching for robbery suspect who beat contractor with pipe in Memorial area

The victim said he was doing work at the home when he saw the unknown man who beat him, tied him up, rummaged through the home and left with his belongings.

It was the thought of returning to his wife and children that Phillip said gave him the courage and bravery to fight back.

"He said he was going to shoot me so, either way, I was going to be dead," Phillip said. "Either way I was dead."

The truck was found by officers at a restaurant parking lot on Feb. 4 at 9550 Kempwood. According to witnesses, the driver was seen walking towards an apartment complex at 9540 Kempwood.

The suspect, described as a Hispanic man in his 40s, has still not been found.

A GoFundMe has been created to help the family with expenses.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Houston Police or Crime Stoppers directly. Information leading to the charging and/or arrest of any felony suspects may result in a cash payment up to $5,000. Tipsters must contact Crime Stoppers directly to remain anonymous and to be considered for a cash payment by calling 713-222-TIPS (8477), submitting an online tip or through the Crime Stoppers mobile app.