A 30-year-old Marine veteran, Anthony Sanders, was allegedly killed by two men in Houston, Texas. Allegedly, Marko Cinan, 23, and Justin Joshua Guzman, 22, shot Sanders dead after he confronted them over a disrespectful comment aimed toward his fiancée.
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According to a probable cause obtained by Law & Crime, the incident occurred on June 3 at around 5 p.m. Outside the Galleria Mall, Sanders was picking up his fiancée from work.
The woman told detectives that she entered an elevator filled with a group of men, with Cinan and Guzman among them. After ignoring a question made by the men, one of them allegedly insulted her by saying, “stupid ugly b—-.”
After meeting Sanders, the woman told him what had occurred. Sanders then reportedly drove around the parking garage, got out of his vehicle, and confronted the men. A verbal exchange occurred, after which both parties returned to their vehicles.
Alleged Murder
As Sanders was exiting the parking garage, the driver of a Chrysler 300 brake-checked him. Cinan and Guzman exited the car and confronted Sanders, who had also exited his vehicle. Guzman allegedly tapped his bag and said, “You don’t want to mess with me.”
Moments later, Cinan and Guzman allegedly shot the Sanders multiple times. Inside Sanders’s vehicle were his fiancée and their child. They were not hurt, but the woman screamed for help.
Police arrived at the scene shortly after. Sanders was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Moments after the incident, the suspects were apprehended. According to the affidavit, Cinan and Guzman allegedly claimed that Sanders had threatened them and that they acted in self-defense. They even alleged Sanders had a gun and a knife on him. However, investigators were unable to find any weapons on Sanders.
Both men, Marko Cinan and Justin Joshua Guzman, have been charged with murder.
Seeking Justice
While talking with KHOU, Sanders’ parents, both Army veterans, stated that they will seek justice for their son.
“We’re here for justice, justice for Anthony and also to stand for what he stood for as a person, and also to bring awareness to what’s going on in today’s society here in Houston,” Frank Sanders, Anthony’s father, said. “This was uncalled for.”
Anthony’s mother, Ronyel Sanders, stated that she was glad that Anthony stepped out of his vehicle.
“The baby was in the car, the fiancée was in the car and the angle… if he stayed in the car, I do believe they would be hurt also,” Ronyel added.
A GoFundMe was set up to support Anthony’s family during this extremely difficult time.
“Anthony was a devoted father, beloved fiancé to Selena, cherished son, nephew, cousin, and brother whose kindness warmed every heart around him,” the fundraiser reads.