An elderly mother sobbed for her son but he was not the one lifeless at the edge of a field in Chula Vista.
Hector Pablo Molina was the one accused of stabbing and killing a man just before 4 p.m. Monday
"We're told that the suspect pulled up in a vehicle, got out of the vehicle, confronted the victim, grabbed the victim and stabbed him, got into his vehicle and left," Chula Vista police Capt. Gary Wedge said.
Molina might still be on the loose if not for a man who watched the horrific attack - and then called police.
Without anything to write with - he scribbled the license plate number in the dirt to make sure he got it right.
"Amazing, did an exceptional job," Wedge said.
Investigators tracked the truck to a San Diego address near the U.S. – Mexico border where Molina lived with his brother's family and his 80-year-old mother.
His mother told NBC 7 San Diego that Molina (pictured right) bought her food Monday morning, but that was the last she'd seen of him.
He's 58, years old, she said. She's not responsible for what he does.
Molina's sister said her family is in the dark.
“We have no idea, “ said Elena Madjlessi. “None at all."
Neighbor Elias Guedea was shocked at the allegation.
"I would never put him at being able to kill somebody,”Gueda said. “That's insane."
The victim, also in his 50's, was the caretaker for some strawberry fields who lived in his van according to police.
He was a friendly man according to locals in the area who remember his smile - now wiped away in a violent attack.
The victim hasn't been identified yet, because police say they're having a tough time tracking down any family members.