Fort Worth boxing coach allegedly murdered at home by relatives

FORT WORTH, Texas — Tuesday night’s boxing practice was a blast inside the Golden Grove Youth Center in the Northside community of Fort Worth.

Coaches and fighters of all ages comforted each other after one of their longtime coaches and mentors was shot dead at their home in northwest Fort Worth Monday night.

The family has identified a shooting victim in Joe Guzman.

A minor family member has been charged with shooting dead a 60-year-old victim, according to the Fort Worth Police Department.

According to police, police arrived at the home along Block 3300 of Ray Simon Drive and helped the victim. Guzman died at the scene. The juvenile suspect was arrested and placed in a juvenile detention center.

“It’s very sad,” said Fort Worth Police Department spokesman Buddy Calzada. “Not only when you lose your life, but when your relatives get caught up like this.”

FWPD has not disclosed the boy’s age or relationship to Guzman. As of Tuesday afternoon, the Tarrant County Coroner’s Office has not released the victim’s name or age.

Joe Basin, vice president of the Texas Golden Globe Youth Center, told WFAA that he has known Guzman for more than 20 years. Guzman has been a coach at the center for more than 25 years, Basin said.

“It’s a tragedy,” Bassan said. “I can’t believe it happened to him. We are used to seeing him every day.”

Guzman’s coach, Arturo Ortega, told the WFAA that Guzman has been in his life since the day he was born and mentored Ortega’s father.

“Not just a coach, not just a trainer, he’s my family. I look at him like a grandpa,” Ortega said.

Ortega said Guzman was always there to lend a helping hand, and over the years, took Ortega to baseball practice when his parents were at work.

Guzman coached and coached several fighters who became professional boxers, Basan said.

“The Golden Globes without him will never be the same,” Bassan said. “It will affect us all.”