Staten Island lawyer, 38, shot dead in Chile after being gunned down by robbers trends now
A family of a Staten Island lawyer is heartbroken after their son was fatally gunned down by robbers who stole his phone in a 'random' attack in Chile.
Eric Eugene 'Gene' Garvin, 38, was last seen in Santiago, Chile on January 14, where he was vacationing with a friend, who reported him missing. His body would be found in a hospital morgue a week later, his family revealed on Facebook.
'On Saturday, January 21st, my wife Anna and I received tragic news from Chile. Our son was finally found by the Santiago Police in a hospital morgue,' his father Eric D. Garvin wrote on Facebook.
'From a father's perspective, this is the darkest day in my life and my wife's life,' the grieving father told ABC 7.
The lawyer was reportedly walking in a drug-infested area when he stopped to a take a photograph while on his way to dinner. He was then attacked by three to four men who shot him three times and stole his phone in what seemed to be a random attack. He died at the scene, according to his father.
Eric Eugene 'Gene' Garvin, 38, (pictured) was last seen in Santiago, Chile on January 14, where he was vacationing with a friend, who reported him missing. His body would be found in a hospital morgue a week later, his family revealed on Facebook
The lawyer was reportedly walking in a drug-infested area when he stopped to a take a photograph while on his way to dinner. He was then attacked by three to four men who shot him three times and stole his phone in what seemed to be a random attack
'What they told us is my son was innocently walking down the street, paused for a moment, took a snapshot of a building in a drug-infested area,' his father told ABC 7.
He was set to fly to Argentina the following day with his friend, who later reported him missing, not knowing his friend's body was sitting in a morgue.
On Monday, Eric Sr. and his daughter Naomi - who often traveled with her brother - traveled to Santiago to meet with several US Embassy Officials and Santiago detectives, among others in hopes of 'find out more about what happened' and to arrange for the lawyer's body to be brought back to the US.
'To date, Santiago authorities have not told us much. We are hoping we will learn more,' his father wrote on Facebook.
The lawyer, who had previously worked for the NYC Mayor's Office, is believed to have traveled to around 40 countries and 'never had a concern about going out of the country,' his sister told ABC 7.
'He made friends very quickly,' she told the outlet.
Now, his sister is hoping others will be 'more like him.' She said: 'I want people to make space for each other. I want them to be curious about meeting each other and experiencing each other's cultures.'
She also said Santiago officials have been helpful in the investigation and is hoping arrests will be made soon.
