The Uriegas family seeks justice after Israel, 38, was killed during a carjacking attempt in July.
SAN ANTONIO — A grieving family is holding out hope for justice after their loved one, 38-year-old Israel Uriegas, was shot and killed during what police describe as an attempted carjacking in July.
The shooting happened around 4 a.m. on July 5 at the Oakstone Apartment Complex near Perrin Beitel and NE Loop 410.
Israel’s mother, Emma Uriegas, said her son had just moved into the complex three weeks earlier. He was also just days away from meeting his first grandchild.
“You took her grandpa. You took her grandpa,” Emma said tearfully. “He would’ve been so happy.”
According to police, Israel was sitting in his car with another person in the parking lot when four suspects approached and demanded his keys. As Israel stepped out of the car, he was shot.
“He had just gotten that car three months before. It took him every week, $500, every week to buy that car — and he paid it off. He was so proud of himself,” Emma said. “He had a good job, a mechanic, a diesel mechanic.”
The suspects never took the vehicle — but they took his life.
More than two months later, Crime Stoppers released images of the suspects and the getaway car. Investigators identified it as a 2014 black Kia Soul, reported stolen two days before the shooting near the 11200 block of Perrin Beitel Road.
Police said the vehicle was spotted multiple times in the days leading up to the shooting. On Friday, July 4, 2025, it was seen around 9:27 a.m. on Houston Street near Highway Drive. On Saturday, July 5, around 1:04 a.m., it was seen heading north on Foster Road toward I-10 East.
Emma is now pleading for answers.
“Like, I want to go out and look for them,” she said. “It’s not fair. It’s not fair.”
Crime Stoppers is offering an up to $5,000 reward for information leading to felony arrests in the case. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 210-224-STOP.