RAMONA, Calif. (KGTV) – It was a nightly ritual. Steve Faught would put his dog, Riley, in his old Ford pickup and take him to a nearby baseball field to play fetch.
On his way Thursday night, he stopped by Stage Stop Liquor and Gas to pick up a six-pack of beer. But he never made it to the field.
Faught was found at the gas station with a major injury to his neck, according to the San Diego Sheriff’s Department.
He was airlifted to a hospital for surgery but did not survive.
His older brother, Jerry Faught, described him as funny, with a warm personality.
“To him, life was a good place,” he said. “He was just the kind of person you’d like to know.”
Faught heard the news from Steve’s wife, who called him at his home in Portland. His older brother instincts kicked in.
“I couldn’t help him. I couldn’t save him. That’s hard,” he said.
Homicide detectives are trying to piece together what happened and what led up to the altercation, but as of Friday morning they had not been able to locate any witnesses or surveillance video.
The suspect, 26-year old Jarrett Wishnick, has been arrested for murder.
Deputies are asking anyone with information to call the San Diego Sheriff's Department homicide division.
Friends have set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for funeral related expenses.
