But Budna didn't know he was a wanted man when he came to our studio this afternoon.
Still limping from the two gunshots he received - one to his buttocks and the other to his knee - he sat down with Jules Vasquez to give his side of the story.
He says he's ready to give the police a statement and that the commissioner should stop focusing on his private life - and try to find the suspect who killed a 16 year old. Here's his extended interview with Jules Vasquez.
Jules Vasquez
"Do you fear for your life?"
Joseph Budna, Survived Murder Attempt
"I do fear for my life, because absolutely I'm getting no protection from the police department, even though when I am willing to assist in the investigation. It was an attempt against my life and the life of an innocent young man, one of my friends and it hurts, because he is a human being. He's somebody's son. It hurts and there is a lot of speculation that (crying) even hurts more, because if they would know how the young man got to my residence it would be a different story."
Jules Vasquez
"Explain to us, please."
Joseph Budna, Survived Murder Attempt
"Jules, let me tell you this, I'm still in a state of shock. Let me tell you that on the evening or the night when that incident occurred I was in Billy White Village the entire day and I left back to San Ignacio. When I got home it was about 25-30 minutes after when I heard someone calling me. I did went to the window and haul the curtain. I can't recognize the person, because it's a bit dark, there is no too much light and the person say "soy yo Kevin." I opened the door when he say he is Kevin. I came out from the room and the kitchen and I saw the person clearly and I knew that it was a young man who had always taken my small pit bull and my other dogs to the river to bath. From time to time I would help him with a part time little job and he told me that he is having a little bit of problem with the man he is staying with. I say which man, he say a man from the sand pit. He says I am staying with a man from the sand pit who I am working for at this moment."
"I cannot leave him out in the cold. I gave him a spot to stay. I have just came home, I am tired. I came from Billy White. I give him a spot to stay."
Jules Vasquez
"Was that spot in your bed?"
Joseph Budna, Survived Murder Attempt
"Not in my bed, Jules. And his age is 16. He turned 16 in June, right."
Jules Vasquez
"Commissioner put a story there like you and this young man were in bed together listening to mellow music. Those were his words. What the commissioner presented was something that it seemed like an intimate you all were sharing. Was that the case, sir?"
Joseph Budna, Survived Murder Attempt
"That was not the case, Jules."
Jules Vasquez
"You were not having intimate relations with this young man?"
Joseph Budna, Survived Murder Attempt
"No sir and I even told the investigating officer that they can make checks, to see if he had recently has sexual intercourse or whatever. That was not the case. I was helping with a clean heart and he's not just the first one I had helped."
"As a matter of fact, playing music, I did mention to the female investigating officer at the hospital I had on the music. I didn't tell her what type of music. She didn't asked what type of music."
Jules Vasquez
"Commissioner said it was mellow music."
Joseph Budna, Survived Murder Attempt
"So how did he get to know it was mellow music, was he there to say something like that? I believe it was music, but it was LOVEFM that I had on at that moment."
"The Commissioner of Police, with due respect to Mr. Williams should had not done what he had said, because I would want to believe he as the commissioner would have focus not on my character or on my past, but on the death of a 16 year old minor try his best to protect the witness and to bring a closure to this incident."
Jules Vasquez
"Do you think that the commissioner should have been focusing on the homicide instead of what he portrayed as desolations elements of your lifestyle? Because he said that the perpetrator Mr. Budna was someone who was trying to solicit you for sex. He was trying to sell sex to you and you refused it, because it was too expensive. This is what the commissioner said."
Joseph Budna, Survived Murder Attempt
"Jules, before going there let me clear up as what I had said. The commissioner should have focussed and should have let the public know that under his watch the police will do what is necessary to bring the person or those responsible of the attempt murder against my person and the murder against this you man Kevin. That is what he should have focussed on."
"It is wrong what he had done by saying what he had done."
Jules Vasquez
"But is it true, is it any truth in it, because I don't believe the commissioner just conjured it out of the air to say that the suspect is someone with whom you had a dispute or who he says try to sell you sex but you refused because it was too expensive. The commissioner did he make that up, sir? That was his allegation."
Joseph Budna, Survived Murder Attempt
"The commissioner had said what he had said and the commissioner should know that black and white tells no lie, once you have something in black and white. And knowing that the commissioner is someone is said to have practiced law should know better before putting such release. You should have something in black and white. So what I am saying whether it is that the person who commits the murder was selling or buying, that has nothing to do with the murder that occurred. That has absolutely nothing."
Jules Vasquez
"Well he says that's the motive, that the man shot up your house because of a proposal which was made that you rejected. He said that's why the guy shot up your house. So that was the motive."
Joseph Budna, Survived Murder Attempt
"Well let me tell you this, Jules, there are more to this and my days go by the police will be recording statements and I will set the record straight. And I believe you try to divert the public attention and bringing up my character, so nobody is focusing on the real issue which is the issue of the death of Kevin. That is the real issue. Not if Budna is a homosexual or he is not a homosexual, who he is sleeping with or not sleeping with. We need to know who commit the murder. The police are there to investigate. I am open to assist the police, but are they willing to work along?"
Jules Vasquez
"You've seen a lot in your life. You've had a colourful life, but you have witness a minor being murdered in your bedroom. How are you managing?"
Joseph Budna, Survived Murder Attempt
"Jules, I just try to be strong. People might think I don't have a heart. I have my family; I have brothers and sisters. It hurts a lot. But I just can't believe it. His shirt is there. I have the minor shirt yet. He was a friend, he was a nice person. I even leave him home when I came from Billy White and went out abd get burritos and garnaches. There is the camera footage. This is unacceptable what they're doing to me."
And to assist in that investigation - Budna - as the intended target and the main witness says he is ready to give a statement but, predictably, his exchange with the police has taken an ominous twist:
Joseph Budna, Survived Murder Attempt
"I just can't believe it. I try not to think about. The only thing I can think was when he was on the ground asking for help. I called the police, I called my brother, I called the ambulance while I'm bleeding and I don't know if the gunman is still out there. So when I think about it, it really hurts and I want the family to rest assure that I will assist with what I can and the police to do their investigation."
Budna says he has given the police the name of the suspect. He also alleges that this person stabbed him three nights before the murder with an icepick.
