Man accepts plea deal of life in prison for 2022 killing of parking lot sweeper over $2

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A man who murdered the driver of a sweeping truck over just $2 in February 2022 agreed to take a plea deal and will spend the rest of his life in prison, ABC13 learned Wednesday.

Ethan Thomas, who was 20 years old at the time, was charged with capital murder in the fatal shooting of 56-year-old Jose Canales.

On Feb. 11, 2022, deputies with the Harris County Sheriff's Office responded to reports of a man, later identified as Canales, being shot in the parking lot of the Lowe's at 19580 Tomball Parkway and Cypresswood.

Canales died at the scene.

Surveillance video showed that at about 1 a.m., Canales had stopped his sweeper truck to get out and pick up several large pieces of debris.

At the same time, a silver SUV pulled up next to him. Two men got out of the vehicle and approached him.

Canales tried to fight back, and that's when he was shot, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said at the time.

The men took off, and Canales collapsed there in the parking lot. Store employees discovered him at 4 a.m. as they left their shift.

Two weeks later, Thomas was charged with Canales' murder. Robbery was the motive, Gonzalez said.

On Wednesday, ABC13 confirmed Thomas took the plea deal just as he was set to go on trial.

Investigators told ABC13's Courtney Fischer that Canales was "an honest, hardworking guy" killed for the less than $2 he had on him.