SAN ANTONIO – Rubi Albarado said she was planning to marry Arnulfo Cortez, 35, after he proposed in October. However, instead of planning a wedding, she is planning a funeral.
“He didn’t deserve that because he was a good man. He didn’t deserve that all,” Albarado said.
His loved ones called him “Arnie.” Albarado said he was leaving work Tuesday night when she began to worry something had happened.
She said Arnulfo was not responding to her phone calls. She left the home to look for him, but what she found changed her world forever.
“I saw his truck all destroyed,” Albarado said.
According to San Antonio police, Arnulfo was driving along Loop 410 on the city’s Northwest side. His truck went through a utility pole and eventually crashed into a rock wall near Rock Moss Drive and Robin Hill Drive.
The Bexar County Medical Examiner said Arnulfo’s cause of death was “multiple gunshot wounds.”
Kevin Perez, 33, was arrested and charged with murder in connection to Arnulfo’s death.
Police said Perez was firing gunshots at random after an argument with his girlfriend. Police believe Arnulfo may have been caught in the crossfire.
“Not my brother. Not like this,” Arnulfo’s brother, Arnold Cortez, said following the news of the deadly shooting.
Arnulfo’s family lives in Sebastian, Texas. According to his family, he had recently visited for the holidays. His mom, Dalia, said Arnulfo was her eldest and a son she had prayed for.
“You were my gift. I wanted a son and that’s what God gave me,” Dalia said.
Dalia said Arnulfo moved to San Antonio two years after a job promotion. His family said his future never looked brighter. His family called him a “hero in his son’s eyes” and said he loved the outdoors.
“He was full of life and had so many plans,” Dalia said.
Although his life was cut short, his family believes he left a lasting impact on those around him and deserves to be remembered.
“We’re just going to miss that laugh, that smile, that light in our life,” his sister, Demi, said.
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