HOUSTON – Friends and family have identified the man killed in a weekend shooting at a northwest Houston gentleman’s club as 33-year-old Miguel Angel Padilla Franco, known as “Nawfside Linco.”
The shooting happened around 5 a.m. Saturday at Paradise City. Franco was pronounced dead at the scene. Another person was taken to the hospital.
As of now, no arrests have been announced.
Franco was well known in Houston’s slab culture — a car community centered around “slow, loud and bangin’” vehicles, often customized with lowered frames and powerful sound systems.
His nickname, “Nawfside Linco,” was a nod to his north Houston roots and his Lincoln.
Friends say Franco was also part of the “Blue Line,” a group within the slab community made up of blue car enthusiasts connected by their shared style and love of customized vehicles.
Daniel Rivera, a friend based in Austin, said he met Franco through mutual friends while working on their cars and quickly bonded over their shared passion.
“He was always happy, always excited. He just was the life of the party,” Rivera said.
Rivera said Franco had been planning a trip to Austin just hours before his death.
“He was supposed to come down here to Austin, Texas, and we were actually going to ride,” Rivera said. “Saturday morning, we woke up to the bad news of his passing. It’s been drastic for us.”
Rivera said members of the Blue Line community first learned about Franco’s death through a group chat, as messages quickly spread among friends.
“We were all like, no, it can’t be Mike,” said Rivera.
Despite living in different cities, Rivera said Franco made a lasting impact on their group and helped grow the movement.
“He started a movement down there in Houston… hopefully it’ll expand through his legacy,” Rivera said.
Friends describe Franco as a family man who brought energy and positivity everywhere he went.
“Every time we linked up, it was a good time, big smiles, nothing but laughs,” Rivera said.