El Monte murder remains a mystery

Brian Day interviewed family and friends of Jack Hicks, killed last week in El Monte. Many of his acquaintances recalled Hicks as a good guy who made some bad choices ...

Here's the opening from Brian's piece:

EL MONTE - The fatal shooting of 33-year-old Jack "Eddie" Hicks last week remains a mystery, authorities said.

His body was discovered inside a trailer April 12 with a single gunshot wound about two hours after he left his girlfriend's house, according to officials and family members.

No witnesses have come forward and no motive or suspect description is known, said Lt. Gil Carrillo of the Los Angeles County sheriff's Homicide Bureau.

"I hope we find out what really happened," said Hicks' cousin, who requested his name not be published for fear of retaliation.

"He's not just a man found dead in a trailer," said the cousin. "My cousin was a good guy."

"He'd give you the shirt off his back if you're cold," said Hicks' girlfriend, who also asked her name be withheld. "Everywhere he went he was loved," she said.

Hicks had two daughters, 7 and 8 years old, with previous girlfriends and another on the way with his girlfriend, who said she's currently four months' pregnant.

Hicks, who had been in and out of prison over the years and battled a drug problem, "wasn't an angel," said his cousin, but he was a friendly man who didn't have any enemies.