Family of man killed in highway shooting shares impact on his children: ‘He was a caring father’

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    DURHAM, North Carolina (WTVD) — The family of a Durham man who was shot and killed while driving to work on I-40 early Friday morning spoke with ABC11 on Sunday.

Ricardo Baez, the 35-year-old shot to death in a suspected case of road rage, leaves behind three brothers and two children, a 12-year-old son and an 8-year-old daughter.

“Receiving that phone call was the most terrifying moment of my life,” said Ramon Baez, Ricardo’s oldest brother.

In a sit-down with ABC11 from their Durham home, Ramon and the rest of the Baez family recounted the pain and grief that had filled the last 48 hours.

“How can you explain to his son what happened? How can you have the heart to shoot someone like that?” Ramon said.

Ramon called his youngest brother a fun-loving, caring father who loved to sing and laugh. He said that while the entire family is still processing the tragedy, the weight of Friday’s news still hasn’t hit Ricardo’s two young children.

“We don’t even think about that yet, but the time is going to come. How will that first Christmas be? Not many people don’t have their fathers. that first Christmas is probably tough,” he said.

Another brother, Alfredo, recalled how Ricardo was always what he called “the life of the party”.

“We’re never going to hear him singing again,” Alfredo said while watching videos of his younger brother during a New Year’s celebration earlier this year.

The shooting was all caught on shocking video from another driver, who saw the alleged shooter, 32-year-old Josue Alejandro Quintanilla-Reyes, driving aggressively before pulling up next to Ricardo’s truck. The family said they wanted to thank that eyewitness for recording it all.

“Without this guy, I don’t think the police could do anything. I don’t think — or it would take longer to find this guy,” Ramon said.

ABC11 also spoke with Ricardo’s son, 12-year-old Ricardo Junior, who is in 7th grade at Sherwood Githens Middle School in Durham.

“He was a nice man, he was my dad. He meant everything to me,” Ricardo said.

Both Ricardo Junior and the entire Baez family say they were waiting for the right time to deliver an important message after getting word of Ricardo’s sudden death.

“We need to learn from this,” Ramon said. “It’s not worth it, to shoot somebody because it cut you off or won’t let you in.”

Now, they’re vowing to do whatever they can to keep Ricardo’s fun-loving spirit alive.

“My brother’s memory is always going to be alive in me and my dad and my brothers; it’s never going to die,” said Alfredo.

Quintanilla-Reyes is in custody facing murder charges in the shooting in Wake County. The Baez family has set up an online fundraiser to help with funeral expenses as they find their way forward.

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