A man in El Paso, Texas, has been charged with murder after allegedly carrying out a brutal attack on a homeless individual who later died from his injuries.

Police say the incident occurred around 3:44 a.m. Saturday on North Ochoa, officers responded to reports of an assault while firefighters were also handling a nearby house fire. At the scene, authorities found 47-year-old Salome J. Lares lying face-down with a bottle of lighter fluid underneath him.

Lares, identified as homeless, suffered severe injuries consistent with a violent assault. He was transported to a burn center in Lubbock in critical condition, where he later died. According to reports citing court documents, he sustained extensive burns to his face, chest, hands, and back, along with a fractured skull.

Investigators identified 33-year-old David Garcia as the primary suspect. He was initially arrested on an aggravated assault charge, which was upgraded to murder following Lares’ death.

Surveillance footage reviewed by police reportedly shows Lares with Garcia and two other individuals—identified as Ivan Geovanny Espinoza and Alan Portillo—prior to the attack. Authorities say the video captures Garcia and Espinoza assaulting Lares before moving out of view toward the location where the fire occurred.

According to an affidavit cited in local reports, footage later shows Lares on fire for several minutes. Garcia allegedly returned to the scene, threw rocks at the victim, and ultimately dropped a large rock on his head. The suspect is also seen leaving and returning again, continuing the assault.

Garcia was arrested the following day on an unrelated charge. In a recorded statement, he allegedly told police the attack was motivated by what he described as “disrespect.”

The case remains under investigation.