71-Year-Old Cancer Survivor Shot To Death In Whittier

WHITTIER (CBSLA.com) — A family is mourning a Whittier grandfather who was found murdered inside his sport utility vehicle on the side of a road.

A statement by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department says the discovery was made in the 13900 block of Placid Drive around 11:30 a.m. Friday.

Investigators say 71-year-old Joe Telles was shot to death not far from his home.

"My dad had cancer and had barely been cancer-free a year and he survived that to die in a senseless killing for no reason," the victim's daughter, Dawn David Loo, told CBS2's Louisa Hodge.

The husband, father and grandfather was selling his SUV after having purchased a pick-up truck in celebration of his recent victory over cancer.

"For sale" signs sat on the SUV for weeks but police say Telles received a call on Friday at 10 a.m. from a man interested in buying.

"He wanted to test drive it. So my dad got on the passenger side and the guy drove off and never came back," Loo said.

Telles was discovered by neighbors about a half-hour later on Placid Street.

"He was a 71-year-old man. He worked hard all his life to die this way. It's not fair. It's just not fair," Loo added.

Investigators have a vague description of the suspect. They are looking for a light complexion, possibly Hispanic, man with a skinny face.

The suspect is believed to be between 20 to 30 years old and was last seen wearing a grey baseball cap and a T-shirt.

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