Montgomery Hispanic store burglarized nearly a month after triple homicide

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A local Hispanic grocery store that was the site of a devastating triple homicide last month has been targeted again, this time by burglars who broke into the business twice in a single night.

Tienda Los Hermanos, located on Troy Highway in Montgomery, was burglarized during the overnight hours. According to store managers, the perpetrators broke through the building's entry and looted the property, stealing cash from the registers. In a particularly distressing detail, the owners revealed that the thieves also stole money from a donation box that had been set up inside the store to help the families of the victims of the recent triple murder pay for funeral expenses.

The burglaries occurred less than four weeks after a June 4 shooting at the store left three men dead: Romero Lopez, 43; his son, Daniel Lopez, 20; and family friend George Elijah Jr., 50. The triple murder had already shaken Montgomery's Hispanic business community, which has expressed growing concern over a perceived pattern of robberies targeting immigrant-owned establishments. Local advocates note that criminals often view Hispanic-owned businesses as lucrative targets due to the assumption that they keep large amounts of cash on hand.

The Montgomery Police Department is reviewing security camera footage from the burglaries to identify the suspects. Meanwhile, the community has rallied to support the store owners, who are grieving the loss of their loved ones while trying to rebuild and secure their livelihood in the face of ongoing security challenges.