Muskegon restaurant owner slain in home

MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, Mich. (WOOD/AP) - The owner of a popular Mexican restaurant in West Michigan was killed and his body found Friday morning.

Alvaro Loera, 72, was found beaten and stabbed inside his Muskegon Heights home. He was frail, on oxygen and in a wheelchair, his family told 24 Hour News 8, and he had been ill for some time.

Loera's nephew, Joe Loera, said his uncle was found by a family member around 11 a.m. Friday.

At one time he owned both the Flamingo I and the Flamingo II, but currently owned only the second.

He came to the area from Texas many years ago and he began working in the fields. Eventually he became a restaurant owner.

So far, police said, no suspects have been identified.

A family member claiming Alvaro Loera was married to his aunt told 24 Hour New 8 that in late 2000 Alfonso Loera, the son of Alvaro, was shot and later died while trying to stop an armed robbery at a Muskegon-area restaurant.

A website honoring Alfonso confirms that he was the victim of a violent crime and died three weeks after he was shot during an attempted robbery at a restaurant in August 2000.

He was 35-years-old.

According to Alfonsoloera.com , a music scholarship was set up in his name after his death because Alfonso loved music and was a well-known musician in the Muskegon area.

However, the scholarship fund has not been funded this year, due to "market conditions," according to the website.

24 Hour News 8's Ken Kolker contributed to this report.