SAN ANTONIO – It was a heart-breaking discovery. Dozens of candles were broken and 15-year-old Natalie Chavez's memorial was destroyed.
"When I got down here, the wreath was just torn apart, just thrown. Candles everywhere, glass all (over), the glass is still on the floor," said Natalie's father, Juan Pablo Chavez.
Chavez was home Thursday evening when he got word that there was trouble at the memorial site set up where his daughter was found strangled to death in December.
"There's a little boy that lives right here around the corner. He's always down here. He runs to my house and tells me this guy (was) down here breaking everything but by the time I got over here, he was already gone," said Chavez.
Chavez's brother, Juan Antonio Chavez, caught up with the man. That's when a police report says a fight broke out.
Two bystanders tried to step in and break it up, but one of them had a knife and cut Antonio.
Police say Juan Antonio Chavez then took the knife away and stabbed the man who'd stabbed him.
The police investigation into the stabbing is ongoing.
Juan Antonio Chavez is out of the hospital and, according to the police report, not a suspect but a victim.
"I don't know why they do this. I still don't understand," said Juan Pablo Chavez.
Natalie was found underneath the bridge near Veracruz and Nueva Leon on Dec. 18.
The medical examiner says the cause of death was asphyxia, meaning she was likely strangled.
"She had a beautiful smile; she has a beautiful smile (and) big dark eyes. I just miss her, I miss her a lot. She would light up the room," Juan Pablo Chavez said.
Juan Pablo Chavez has since cleaned up the mess and added candles. He makes sure to keep them lit.
"When somebody passes away, you got to have a candle lit so they can see their way home," Juan Pablo Chavez said.