SAN DIEGO - Authorities Tuesday renewed their call for information that could lead them to whoever carjacked a 77-year-old man, then fatally struck him with his own pickup truck in a Pacific Beach alley 15 years ago.
Investigators believe Edward Wager was carjacked after he stopped his white Toyota pickup truck in an alley off Grand Avenue near Noyes Street shortly before 2 a.m. on Nov. 8, 2001. He was subsequently run over by his truck as the suspect sped off, according to San Diego police and Crime Stoppers.
On Tuesday, Wager's daughter visited the alley where her father had died. She had never been to the scene until today.
"To know your loved one died ? murdered, didn't die, murdered in an alley ? you can't even imagine," said Angel Castro.
Castro fought through a lot of pain to come to the alley because she wants to find out who killed her father 15 years ago.
"He just died alone; massive head trauma," said Castro.
She added, "They [dragged] him almost the length of the alley. They couldn't have just taken the truck and go on."
Police found Wager's truck abandoned and intact in the Encanto neighborhood in southeastern San Diego three days later, authorities said.
Castro and San Diego police detectives called a news conference to shine the spotlight on this cold case once again.
"We've put all these posters out there, but all these dead ends. My family still wonders how anyone could do that to somebody," said Castro.
"Any information anyone could have out there, no matter how insignificant they think it is, please give us a call," said SDPD Lt. Mike Holden.
That early morning, Wager was collecting recyclables -- something he had been doing for several years.
"He didn't want my mom to work so she could stay home with us," added Castro.
She thinks someone knows who killed her quiet, frail, hard-working father.
"In the police report, I did read that somebody who lived in the apartments heard yelling and screaming -- I don't know which apartments it was ? saying, 'Help me, please don't, help me.' Then that was it," said Castro.
She and her siblings are now hoping for a miracle that'll lead police to their father's attackers.
Anyone with information on the case was asked to call San Diego police at (619) 531-2293. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477 or contacting the agency online at sdcrimestoppers.org.
