Sister wonders why hit-and-run driver didn't stop after killing her brother

A grieving sister is searching for answers after a hit-and-run in Vallejo left her brother dead.

Police are looking for surveillance videos of the incident to help locate the driver responsible.

Stevie Watkins said her brother was homeless after coming here from Texas looking for a new start.

She described him as smart, funny, kind and that he will be greatly missed.

"He was a really sweet person. He was loved," Watkins, who lives in Texas, said she was stunned when she received news that her brother Connor had been killed by a hit-and-run driver.

"It was devastating. He was my baby brother," said Watkins, "Everything's gone. I'm never going to see my brother again."

On Sunday around 7:15 p.m., Vallejo police said they found Connor lying in the roadway at the intersection of Sonoma Boulevard at Arkansas. Police released images of the white sedan they said is responsible for hitting the 29-year-old while he was in the crosswalk and left the scene.

Connor died from his injuries.

"You left my brother to die. He was a person," Watkins said the two of them had a difficult childhood in Texas.

Their single mother was often unable to care for them.  She took her own life and Connor was the one who found her.

Watkins says these were factors in her brother's struggle with addiction.

His dream of becoming a police officer became impossible.

He left Texas for California looking for a new start, but became homeless.

In Vallejo, Sam Saleh told KTVU Conner would come to Omayh Food Mart, a store owned by his family, several times a week starting last August. Saleh said Connor became friends with him and his relatives. Now, Saleh is stunned that Connor has been killed.   

"I would always see him come and get food and snacks. And he would never have enough, so I would just always give it to him and we'd always strike up a conversation," Saleh said Connor told him about his journey and his dream of becoming a performance artist, "Came over here, hitchhiked. He pretty much got stuck out here, and I found out his sister's name."

Saleh said he'd lend his phone to Connor so he could stay in touch with his sister.

Saleh said both he and the sister had hoped to help Connor return home to Texas where his sister had lined up a job for him.

Now their hopes for Connor dashed because of a hit-and-run driver.

"I just want to know why. Why didn't you stop? I don't understand." Watkins said her brother had dreams of getting married and starting a family.

Connor would have turned 30 years old next month.

Now, his sister is making arrangements to have his remains shipped back to Texas.

Police are asking for help and  looking for surveillance videos of the incident.

To help his sister with expenses you can contribute to this Gofundme.