Nationwide — Desmond Butler, a 25-year-old African American man who works as an Amazon manager, was shot and killed by Jonathan Ross Mata, a father who mistakenly thought he was his daughter’s kidnapper.
According to The New York Post, the incident began when Mata and his wife received a panicked call from their 19-year-old daughter, who said she had been attacked. Confused about where she would be picked up, the parents rushed to a nearby Shell gas station.
Surveillance footage shows Butler driving his gray SUV into the gas station, unaware of the unfolding situation. Mata’s wife ran toward the vehicle, thinking it carried their daughter. Butler then accelerated, and Mata followed, firing his pistol. The shots caused Butler to lose control and crash into a pole.
After the crash, Mata and his wife realized Butler was not their daughter’s boyfriend. According to the complaint, Mata said something like, “Oh, we were looking for our kidnapped daughter. I’m sorry, we will call 911,” before driving away.
Emergency responders arrived shortly after, and Butler was taken to a hospital, where he later died. Mata turned himself in days later and faces murder charges. He has since been released after posting a $50,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court on February 25.
Butler’s family, who live in Georgia, said Butler moved to Houston in 2023 for work and had recently become an Amazon manager. They described his death as “devastating” and said they are still seeking answers. “We just want answers on why him? My brother was a light of joy,” she said.