Two murder suspects who allegedly killed a good Samaritan in Los Angeles County while he was attempting to stop them from stealing his neighbor’s catalytic converter were in the country illegally and have lengthy criminal records, Fox News has learned. 

Wilber Alberto Rabanales and Jose Christian Saravia Sanchez were arrested by police in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood Thursday for the Feb. 25 murder of Juan Miguel Sanchez. 

The incident was caught on surveillance video. 

“You took a big part of our heart,” she said in an interview with FOX 11. 

His family told the station he had left for work before 4 a.m. that morning because he wanted to get an early start at his job, where he had just been promoted while working to clean up after the Palisades Fire. 

A memorial for Juan Sanchez (FOX 11)

“He was a big man of faith, never missed mass on Sunday,” his sister said. “He volunteered on Sunday mornings at church.”

She added that he was the sole provider for his family.

“And now he’s gone, leaving my sister-in-law and two sons,” she added. 

The family told FOX 11 the victim had told his wife she should leave her job while she underwent chemotherapy after being diagnosed with cancer.