The tight-knit community surrounding a popular local food truck is still reeling after the sudden and brutal killing of 50-year-old Gerardo Villalobos Salgado, a familiar face whose warm presence had long been part of the neighborhood’s evening rhythm.
What was once a lively corner filled with chatter, the aroma of grilled food, and Salgado’s trademark humor has become a place overshadowed by grief and unanswered questions.
On the night of November 7th, Salgado pulled up to the food truck as he had done countless times before. Regulars recall that he often arrived with a smile, ready to swap stories and jokes with the vendors and other customers.
But that night took a devastating turn. According to investigators, Salgado was shot while sitting in his vehicle, and despite efforts from bystanders to summon help, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The attack was so sudden and targeted that many initially struggled to grasp what had even happened.
For days, police reported having no clear leads, leaving the community anxious and desperate for answers. Shop owners along the block kept their doors open a little later, talking with officers, replaying the events, and trying to understand how an ordinary evening had turned into a nightmare.
Some admitted they were afraid to return to work; others said they came back because they felt Salgado would have wanted them to keep going.
This week, investigators announced a significant development: authorities are now searching for 41-year-old Edwin Leonel Caal Gill, who has been charged with murder in connection with the shooting.
Officials emphasized that the charge is based on probable cause and stressed that Caal Gill has not yet been found. They continue to urge the public to come forward with any information that might assist in locating him.
The announcement brought a complicated mix of relief and renewed sorrow. While some feel reassured that the case is moving forward, many say it does little to ease the deeper ache of losing someone who had become part of the fabric of their everyday lives.
Vendors who worked the trucks nearby described Salgado as a man who “never let a night pass without making someone laugh.” They recall that he was quick with jokes, generous with compliments, and genuinely interested in the people he talked to.
One small business owner, still visibly shaken, described the loss as “a hole in our evenings.” Another said that Salgado’s absence is “a heavy weight we feel every time the sun goes down and the grill fires up.”
Community members have begun leaving flowers and candles near the parking space where Salgado’s car once sat, transforming it into a small, evolving memorial.
As the search for the suspect continues, those who knew him hope that justice along with healing will eventually arrive. For now, they hold onto memories of the man who brought warmth, laughter, and connection to a corner that now feels much colder without him.
