“I don’t want these people to think that you know that it’s okay that they did this. They tore our family apart, we will never be the same.”
SAN ANTONIO — The daughters of Benjamin Regalado say their lives have been forever changed since the murder of their father, and they’re pleading for the public’s help in finding his killer.
“We’re not the same. said Ruby Regalado, speaking alongside her sister Angelica “Our dad was a huge part of our family,” .
The Regalado family describes Benjamin as a hardworking, generous man who loved making people laugh. Known as a jack of all trades, he enjoyed helping others and sharing his knowledge.
“He knew how to do everything, and he was so willing to teach people, help people,” said Angelica. “He was very giving and kind.”
Ruby said she last saw her father on the morning of March 17, 2024, when he stopped by for breakfast before heading to work.
“We spent the whole morning together. He left for work—and I never saw him again,” she said.
When Benjamin didn’t answer his phone the next day, Ruby knew something was wrong. She reported him missing on March 19.
“By that Monday, I couldn’t get a hold of him and I knew,” she said.
In the days that followed, the family found his 2004 Toyota Avalon parked at El Montan Motel on San Pedro Avenue. Witnesses reported seeing multiple people driving the car around the area.
Still without answers, the Regalado’s began searching on their own near the 500 block of Brookview Drive. That’s where they made a heartbreaking discovery.
“We found one of his keychains in a ditch,” Ruby said. “But we didn’t find him or anything else.”
On Easter Sunday, March 31, detectives informed the family that Benjamin’s body had been recovered from that same ditch.
Police and the family believe Benjamin was robbed before he was killed. Authorities have since doubled the Crime Stoppers reward to $10,000, hoping the increase will encourage someone to come forward with information.
“Our family deserves the truth. My dad deserves justice,” Ruby said. “The people who did this tore our family apart. We’ll never be the same.”
Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 210-224-STOP. Tips can remain anonymous, and even the smallest detail could be the key to solving the case.