“Muy trabajadora”

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Detectives sought the public’s help Friday in solving the killing of Celerino Reyes, 40, shot in a robbery attempt June 8 just north of the 10 Freeway on Mateo Street--a dingy industrial area just south of downtown Los Angeles. Reyes’ assailants came up to his car window and shot him. The wound may have caused him to hit the gas; his car careened into a palm tree.

Reyes came to this country from Michoacan state in Mexico about 16 years ago with few resources. He had a small car.

He drove it around, delivering wooden pallets to businesses. He brought others with cars into the business, and it grew and grew. He helped family members here and in Mexico.

A tall, well-groomed, happy man, he was notorious for lecturing everyone in his family on the importance of hard work and responsibility. He would try to help them organize their lives and goals, constantly whipping out sheets for lists and instructions, circling this or that point for emphasis.

He was a father of five. ‘Muy trabajadora,’ one family member said, describing his lifestyle: ‘Hard-working.’ Above, his sister, a daughter, a niece and her family, and a son (in back on right) talking to LAPD Newton detectives at a news conference Friday in South-Central. There is a $50,000 reward for information in the case. Detectives have a still clip from a video of the suspects, whom they believe followed Reyes from the bank.

They also have a picture of the suspects’ car. They ask anyone with tips about the suspects to call them at (323) 846-6556.