Karen Garcia (21) was reported missing on January 9th, 2018.
Just two days before vanishing, Karen’s younger sister Jessica Garcia (19) was killed in a car crash after leaving a Denny’s restaurant close to their Colusa, California home. Karen’s family members initially believed that her disappearance was related to her younger sister’s recent death; they simply thought she needed some time to grieve by herself. However, that belief disappeared after the police searched Karen’s home and told her parents that they found evidence she had been killed.
Four days later, Karen’s body was found inside her car in a Marshall’s parking lot located in Woodland, California. From that point forward, police began looking for Salvador Vaca-Garcia Jr., Karen’s ex-boyfriend and father of Karen’s 2-year-old child. Salvador was the one and only suspect in Karen's murder, and he went on the run once he learned police were searching for him.
It took over a year and a half for a break to occur in the case, but finally, in August 2019, Salvador was located in Guadalajara, Mexico. He was detained and transferred back to California where he was charged with both domestic abuse and murder.
 |
| Salvador Vaca-Garcia Jr. (Source: Daily Democrat) |
In November 2020, Salvador Garcia Jr. pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in Karen's case. During the court proceedings, prosecutors stated their belief that Salvador killed Karen during a fit of rage inside their apartment. Text messages revealed that Karen ended their tumultuous relationship the day before her death, but Salvador did not accept the break-up.
After killing her, Salvador abandoned her body inside her own vehicle. Karen was reportedly found "in the seat of her car in a reclining position with her face down and obscured by her hair. She was covered with a sweater and had her charging cell phone perched on one hip to appear as if she was napping."
Salvador was later sentenced to 25 years in prison.
No comments:
Post a Comment