FORT WORTH, Texas — Carlos Aybar worked at The Marq. He lived at The Marq.
And he was loved by The Marq.
“Thank you for being our hero,” a resident of the complex wrote on a poster hanging on the complex’s door.
“I’ll never forget you,” wrote another.
Aybar was a maintenance worker at the luxury apartment complex in the 700 block of Arch Adams Lane in Fort Worth’s cultural district.
He was shot and killed in the front office on April 21.
A fellow resident, 29-year-old Devin Deron Smith, is charged with murder.
“I want justice, justice for my son. Please! Justice!” cried Aybar’s mother, Rachel Canelon in her native Spanish.
Canelon and other family members stood in front of The Marq to speak publicly for the first time Wednesday evening.
“Legally I have rights and I’m going to use them,” Caelon said.
The family has hired Fort Worth-based attorneys James Trujillo and Ramon Gonzalez.
Trujillo said the family is considering legal action because he’s found residents who had previously complained to complex management about the suspect’s conduct and about his dog.
The Marq did not respond to WFAA’s call and email seeking information.
Aybar was called to the office by a colleague who police say was being confronted by Smith after the complex had ordered him to move out.
When Aybar came to help his colleague, police say Smith shot and killed him.
“It’s my position they should have started the eviction process months ago,” Trujillo said. “This is a simple case of too little too late.”
The mother of Aybar’s 4-year-old son, Gabriela Perdomo, said she began to worry when Aybar was late meeting her to take the boy to a park.
“I called him and called him.” Perdomo said through tears. “He never answered. Because he was dead.”
The family is also upset over what they call a “ridiculous” low bond for Smith.
It’s set at $150,000.
“Which means he only needs $15,000 to post bail,” said his aunt, Rebeca Carelon-Diaz.
“Carlos is no longer among us. The victim of a heinous, senseless act of violence at his workplace,” she said.
Aybar was a man full of dreams, Perdomo said. Now they’re all in a nightmare.
“He’s such a good guy. And he got killed over a dog? Just because you got mad? He doesn’t deserve that,” she said.
“Someone took his life. Why? Why?” she asked.