Houston police identify man who killed customer who pushed him in McDonald’s parking lot as argument over food order escalated; Family says victim ‘was fighting for the little guy’

A 46-year-old Houston lawyer died after trying to calm down an angry McDonald’s customer who was yelling at the cashier for ordering incorrectly.

Jeffrey Limmer, a partner at the Lewis Brisbois law firm in Houston, was shot and killed May 4 after arguing with a man in front of him waiting in line at a McDonald’s near Limmer’s home on Interstate 10 in Houston, according to police.

Houston police have since identified the suspect as Anthony Martin Landry, 57, who was charged with murder Wednesday. He remains on the run.

Landry was demanding a refund when Limmer interrupted, took over as cashier and began arguing with the stranger.

The situation escalated when the two men went outside to settle the dispute in the parking lot, and Limmer allegedly pushed the man to the ground, according to detectives.

The attacker immediately got up, walked briskly toward his blue Ford pickup truck, grabbed a handgun from inside and shot Limmer before fleeing, police said.

By the time police arrived, Limmer was already dead.

Nearly a week later, the shooter is still at large, even though his identity is now known.

Relatives described Limmer as non-confrontational and said it was likely he was simply trying to defuse the man’s temper before the incident turned deadly.

“Knowing Jeff, he’s the one who always says, ‘Calm down. It’s not that big of a deal and a distraction from the situation,” said Limmer’s sister, Jennifer Thomas, who spoke to ABC 13. “He always wanted to fight for the little guy and do the right thing.”

Limmer graduated from the University of Texas and received his law degree from South Texas College of Law.

Thomas revealed that Limmer lived near the McDonald’s and dined there regularly.

Thomas described Limmer as the kind of person who would intervene in an abusive situation to protect those who couldn’t defend themselves.

“A good Samaritan trying to do the right thing and not let McDonald’s employees go through this,” she said.

The deadly shooting recalls another incident at a fast-food restaurant in early April, in which a white customer at a Burger King drive-thru in Ohio pointed a gun at a black cashier who was trying to offer him a promotional discount on his food. No one was killed in this incident and the suspect was never arrested.