On the night of October 6, 2017, Alfredo Palencia, a 26-year-old male tow truck driver known for his infectious laughter and ever-present smile, was simply doing his job in Phoenix, Arizona. His co-workers at Go Tow described him as someone who could make anyone laugh and a person you couldn't be depressed around. That evening, Palencia was at an apartment complex near 32nd Street and McDowell Road to tow an improperly parked vehicle.
It was a routine call, not a repossession, but one that would tragically end his life.
While in the process of removing the SUV, Palencia was confronted by a man. Shortly after the confrontation, Palencia was shot and killed inside the cab of his tow truck. The suspect fled the scene, leaving behind a community of friends and family to mourn the loss of a man described as a 'good guy who didn't deserve any of this.' His death was one of three fatal shootings that occurred in Phoenix in less than a 24-hour period.
The investigation into the senseless murder led Phoenix police to 27-year-old Billy Wayne West Jr. Surveillance footage from the apartment complex captured the tragic events, allegedly showing West leaving a birthday party, pulling a handgun from his waistband, and pointing it at the driver's side window of the tow truck. In a chilling turn of events, court documents revealed that West's own two children were with him and witnessed their father shoot the tow truck driver. Witnesses at the scene also identified West as the shooter.
Following his arrest, West told investigators he had no memory of what happened that night, claiming he had been drinking. However, when presented with a surveillance photo of the gunman, he reportedly stated, 'It looks like it could be me.' Billy Wayne West Jr. was subsequently charged with first-degree murder and was held on a $750,000 bond.
