Griego helping homeless before his murder

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Greg Griego, murdered along with his wife and three of his children Saturday, spent his last night alive working at the Albuquerque Rescue Mission.

Griego had just started working at the mission several months ago and was returning to his South Valley home from his overnight shift when he died in a hail of bullets allegedly fired by his 15-year-old son.

• Online from KRQE.com: Griego shootings timeline »

The father of 10 spent the night watching over homeless residents. Co-workers say he left the shelter a little tired but happy he was doing what he loved.

"It is difficult for us," said Rene Palacio, assistant executive director of the Albuquerque Rescue Missions. "We are definitely going to miss him. This was a tragic situation that happened, but we know where he is."

Palacios said Griego worked at the shelter from 2002-2004 and was just rehired three months ago.

"When he came in the concern and care that he did have for homeless people or people that were down and out was one of the reasons I hired him," said Darryl Clark, Griego's supervisor.

Co-workers have been going through Griego's final hours, searching for answers.

"You think about stuff like that," Clark said.  "If you would have had the schedule different or something like that, maybe it wouldn't have happened.  But it's just sad."

Clark and fellow staffers said they will dearly miss Griego, especially his smile.  Now they ask for prayers for his family.

"His son is really going to need prayer after this," Clark said. "When he gets older and maybe realizes what he's done, that's really probably when it's going to set in.

"So he's really going to need prayer."

Griego was helping with security at the city's winter shelter. The director says he also hosted Bible studies at the mission.

A prayer vigil for the Griego family is scheduled Wednesday evening at Calvary Albuquerque , 4001 Osuna Road NE from 7-8 p.m.
    
That's the church where Griego once worked as a pastor.