ESCONDIDO, Calif. — The family of an Escondido father who was shot and killed on Halloween 1995 is asking for the public's help to find justice in his cold-case murder. The murder of Phoutone “Taun” Lothirath, age 30, inside his apartment on Upas Street remains unsolved.
“I come from a family of seven and my brother Taun was the firstborn son, the older brother, the protector,” said the victim’s sister, Vienne Kasprowicz.
Lothirath was murdered by a gunman with a bandana over his face, who knocked on the victim's door pretending to be a trick or treater. Lothirath’s 10-year-old son answered the door.
“When he opened the door the masked man said, “trick or treat.”
The gunman then entered the home, ordered the boy into another room, and shot Lothirath as he was laying on the couch. He died at the scene.
Lothirath likely knew the man who shot him. His son overheard his father begging for his life. “What was overheard was, “Hey, brother, let's talk about it.” And then that was it.
Police found bullet casings from two different guns at the scene. “There were two involved, one that actually entered his residence and another one who was outside and shot into the home,” said the sister.
Lothirath was separated from the mother of his two children at the time of the murder. Kasprowicz said her brother was seeing someone else. “Based on phone records, he was seeing a another woman, a married woman,” said Kasprowicz.
Escondido police investigated the husband of the other woman but, reportedly, he had an iron-clad alibi.
“I myself believe that the perpetrators that went to the house were hired of some sort. They were hired hitmen,” said Kasprowicz.
San Diego Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest in Lothirath's murder. You can remain anonymous and still be eligible for reward money.
“I'm asking for the public's help in finding answers,” the sister said.
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