ESCONDIDO, Calif. (KGTV) — The sister of a man killed in Escondido on Halloween nearly 30 years ago is pleading for answers to find his killer decades later.
It was Halloween night, in 1995, when Phoutone “Taun” Lothirath was at home with is 10-year-old son, Eddy, at 1228 S. Upas Street in Escondido.
His sister, Vienne Kasprowicz, told ABC 10News the father and son were back home after trick-or-treating when someone knocked on the door.
The child opened it, and the man on the other side said “trick-or-treat.” The person at the door wasn’t a trick-or-treater, but instead the killer. Investigators said he had a bandana covering a part of his face.
Kasprowicz said when the boy went to grab candy that was placed next to the door, the man flashed a gun and told the child to go to his room.
Moments later, there were gunshots and sounds of glass shattering.
Lothirath was shot multiple times in the chest and back. Witnesses reported seeing a man running to the alley nearby, and then a dark car taking off.
Investigators said there could be two suspects because of evidence on the scene indicating two guns were used, one to shoot Lothirath and the other to shoot into the home through a front window.
Kasprowicz said the murder destroyed her family and some relatives no longer speak to each other. Some have decided to move on, finding it too painful to wonder what happened, but Kasprowicz told ABC 10News she can’t let it go and has dedicated the last 28 years to finding answers.
She’s hoping the newly announced reward will encourage someone to come forward and share information that can help solve the case.
Anyone with information on this case is asked to call the Escondido Police Department’s Homicide Unit at (760) 839-4974 or the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at (888) 580-8477. Tips can also be made anonymous, for information on how to do that visit www.sdcrimestoppers.org.
