Really no way to protect against this particular one.
The victims family members should hunt this bastard down and make an example
When should one practice "situational awareness"? Unfortunately now it has reached a point that it is anytime one's feet leaves their front or back door step. Always take something with you. If you can carry a gun, carry a gun. If you are unable to carry a gun, carry a good pocket knife. If you can not carry a gun or knife, take a good walking stick or cane. The main point is, never go alone. Your life may depend on it.
In South America, pestiferous, drug addled (mostly huffing) young street criminals have long been “disappeared” by private security guards, who are often off duty police or ex-police.
This is because they are a major nuisance to small businesses, and there is no effective juvenile criminal system. So the businessmen take up a collection to pay for reducing the number of the ‘street orphans’.
Some evening, maybe 10-20 of them are rounded up and taken to the jungle for disposal. They are rarely abused, just killed and buried.