A New Westminster mother is pleading with the three people who have information that could help solve her son’s homicide to come forward to authorities.
Friday, Jan. 10 will mark three and a half years since Ivonne Saenz’ 24-year-old son Luis was fatally stabbed after leaving a house party in Vancouver in the early hours of Saturday, July 10, 2021. Luis Saenz died in hospital.
Police said Luis, who was a guest at the party, had a verbal altercation with two men and two women outside the rental home on Southwest Marine Drive near West 57th Avenue, before the deadly attack.
Luis’ mother said she last saw her son Friday evening when he told her he was going to the house party but would be leaving early because he had to work the next morning.
When Luis didn’t come home or call, Ivonne said she started looking for him.
“Saturday night, they (police) told me he was murdered,” Ivonne Saenz told Global News in an interview. “As soon as I wake up, I remember every single time, that moment.”
Luis, who had been working in construction and taking classes at BCIT prior to his death, had no criminal record in B.C. and the VPD said he was not involved in any criminal activity.
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“All my family is broken,” said Ivonne. “They don’t understand why this can happen to someone who was good guy, he was a really good guy.”
Police have identified a suspect in Luis’ murder – a man in his early 20s who is known to law enforcement – but investigators believe the three people he was with at the time have crucial information that could help solve the case.
“How can you dream, how can you sleep, how can you eat?” Ivonne said, urging the three key witnesses to break their silence.
“How can you live with that inside, like you don’t remember Luis’ face at the moment he was murdered? Look at my face, I just want to ask you: come forward and talk what you know. How can you be watching someone just be killed?”
Luis’ mother said it’s not too late for the trio to choose to do the right thing.
“You’re going to see his face until the day that you die, you’re going to have that moment no matter what is the result — Luis’ face in your mind forever — so do it,” Ivonne said.
“He’s not coming back … but he deserved that.”
Saenz came to Canada from Mexico in 2006 and grew up in New Westminster with his mother, grandparents and dog Luna.
His mother said her son was always “full of joy” and willing to step up to help people. Luis had a passion for football, which he started playing as a child and continued in high school.
The New Westminster Secondary graduate also enjoyed swimming and snowboarding and is described as a hardworking brother, friend, and son.
“He had so many dreams,” Ivonne said.
Vancouver police also believe there may have been passing motorists, or people with dashcam video, who witnessed the fatal stabbing and have yet to come forward.
Anyone with information is asked to call the VPD’s homicide unit at 604-717-2500.
Anonymous tips can also be reported to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
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