Anthony Thomas Garcia, 62, was found guilty of first-degree murder in the April 11, 2015 killing of Abelardo Lopez Estacion. (Courtesy Orange County District Attorney’s Office)

A Nevada handyman was convicted Tuesday for the killing of an 81-year-old man who was strangled to death in the bedroom of a Newport Beach home six years ago.

An Orange County Superior Court jury found 62-year-old Anthony Thomas Garcia guilty of first-degree murder for the April 11, 2015 killing of Abelardo Lopez Estacion.

However, the jury concluded that the killing was not for financial reasons. Such a finding would have resulted in murder in special circumstances, which would likely have resulted in a life sentence with no possibility of parole.

The conviction comes less than a year after another jury failed to reach a verdict, resulting in a mistrial and a second trial. The second trial was postponed several times mid-testimony after Garcia was placed under temporary quarantine due to exposure to other prison inmates who tested positive for COVID-19.

The murder came amid an ugly dispute over the estate of Dortha Lamb, Estacion’s dying wife. Garcia was Lamb’s granddaughter’s former boyfriend, and two of Garcia’s daughters were Lamb’s great-granddaughters.

At the start of Garcia’s latest trial, Assistant District Attorney Seton Hunt told the jury the case was about “family, greed, hatred and deceit.”

Lamb — a self-made woman who owned valuable properties in Newport Beach, San Clemente, and Costa Mesa — had been with Estacion for more than 20 years but only married him shortly before his death. At the time of Estacion’s assassination, Lamb was dying of terminal cancer and suffering from dementia.

According to testimony given at the trial, Garcia and some of Lamb’s relatives believed Estacion was abusing Lamb and taking advantage of her health problems to withdraw money from her accounts. According to witnesses, Garcia had told others that he wanted to kill Estacion.

A legal battle ensued, during which Lamb’s family took her out of their Newport Beach home and attempted to evict Estacion and ban him from contact with Lamb. A judge delayed deciding whether to grant an injunction against Estacion.

Hours later, someone entered the Newport Beach home, disconnected power, and choked, beat, and strangled Estacion.

Prosecutors allege that Garcia drove from Carson City to Newport Beach to kill Estacion and then immediately drove back. They say he left his cellphone with his adult daughter, Samantha Garcia, to make it appear like he was still in Nevada.

Samantha Garcia initially told investigators that she was in possession of her father’s cellphone the night Estacion was killed, and conducted a fake text conversation between the two. But in both trials, the daughter denied those claims, saying investigators pressured her to lie and said she didn’t have her father’s cellphone that night.

During the trial, Garcia’s attorney, Alisha Montoro, described Garcia as a non-violent, devoted family man who lived a simple life. Defense attorneys denied that Garcia believed his daughters were entitled to Lamb’s money and told the jury that Garcia was not even in California on the night of the murder.

Garcia is scheduled to return to court for sentencing on April 28. He faces up to 25 years to life imprisonment.

The post Nevada handyman convicted of 2015 killing of 81-year-old California man – East Bay Instances appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

A Nevada handyman was convicted Tuesday of killing an 81-year-old man who was strangled six years ago in the bedroom of a Newport Beach home.

An Orange County Superior Court jury found Anthony Thomas Garcia, 62, guilty of first degree murder for the April 11, 2015 slaying of Abelardo Lopez Estacion.

The jury, however, found the killing was not carried out for financial gain. Such a determination would have made it a special circumstances murder, which would have led to a likely sentence of life without the possibility of parole.

The conviction comes less than a year after another jury was unable to reach a verdict, leading to a mistrial and a second trial. The second trial was delayed several times mid-testimony after Garcia was placed in temporary quarantine due to being exposed to other jail inmates who tested positive for COVID-19.

The killing came in the midst of an ugly fight over the estate of Dortha Lamb, Estacion’s dying wife. Garcia was the former boyfriend of Lamb’s granddaughter, and two of Garcia’s daughters were Lamb’s great-granddaughters.

At the beginning of Garcia’s latest trial, Deputy District Attorney Seton Hunt told jurors that the case was about “family, greed, hatred and deception.”

Lamb – a self-made woman who owned valuable real estate in Newport Beach, San Clemente and Costa Mesa – had been with Estacion for more than 20 years, but only married him shortly before his death. At the time of Estacion’s slaying, Lamb was dying from terminal cancer and suffering from dementia.

According to testimony during the trials, Garcia and some of Lamb’s relatives believed that Estacion was abusing Lamb and taking advantage of her health issues to siphon money from her accounts. Garcia had told others that he wanted to kill Estacion, according to testimony.

A legal battle broke out, with Lamb’s family taking her from her Newport Beach home and trying to get Estacion kicked out of the residence and barred from contacting Lamb. A judge delayed a decision on whether to approve a temporary restraining order against Estacion.

Hours later, someone entered the Newport Beach home, cut power to the residence, and then smothered, struck, and strangled Estacion.

Prosecutors allege that Garcia drove from Carson City to Newport Beach to kill Estacion, then immediately drove back. They say he left his cell phone with his adult daughter, Samantha Garcia, to make it look like he was still in Nevada.

Samantha Garcia initially told investigators that she had her father’s cell phone the night of Estacion’s killing and carried out a fake text conversation between the two of them. But during both trials the daughter recanted those claims, alleging detectives pressured her to lie and saying she didn’t have her father’s cell phone that night.

During the trials, Garcia’s attorney, Alisha Montoro, described Garcia as a non-violent, devoted family man who lived a simple life. The defense attorney denied that Garcia believed his daughters were entitled to Lamb’s money, and told jurors that Garcia wasn’t even in California the night of the killing.

Garcia is scheduled to return to court for sentencing on April 28. He faces up to 25 years to life in prison.

The post Nevada handyman convicted of 2015 killing of 81-year-old California man – East Bay Instances appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Fox Meadows man was convicted Friday of raping an 81-year-old woman who lived in the same area and who had previously hired him to do yard work and other chores, said Shelby County Dist. atty Gen. Amy Weirich.

Matthew James Smith, 39, was convicted of aggravated rape, robbery, aggravated burglary, and theft over $10,000.

According to investigators, the assault happened around 2 am on Feb. 16, 2020, in the 3000 block of Flint Drive.

A man identified as Smith entered the woman’s bedroom and raped her, breaking two of her ribs in the process.

Smith also took two televisions which he loaded into the woman’s Jeep Cherokee and drove away.

Later, the Jeep and TVs were found less than a mile away, just three houses from Smith’s house.

Investigators found a jacket left behind in the woman’s home. Smith’s wallet with his state ID was inside.

The woman’s husband knew said he recognized a man he as “Matthew” grab their car keys as he ran out of the house to the garage and drove away in their car.

Smith was arrested later that same day.

He will be sentenced next month, the DA said.

Download the FOX13 Memphis app to receive alerts from breaking news in your neighborhood.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

trending stories:

©2022 Imagicomm Memphis, Inc.

The post Fox Meadows handyman convicted in rape of 81-year-old neighbor, DA says – FOX13 Information Memphis appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) – As crime and violence continue to make national headlines in the Bay Area, San Francisco police said they continue to make arrests and investigate armed robbery and car break-ins.

The department said that due to the organization behind these crimes, it takes time to track down and locate suspects.

CONTINUE READING: COVID: High Vaccine Demand, Adds Staff to San Mateo Clinic

“We’re out here doing these operations, doing this investigation, we’re putting together good cases, we’re making good arrests, and we’re going to keep doing that,” said Officer Adam Lobsinger, a public intelligence officer for the San Francisco Police Department . “We will continue to make arrests and take cases to the prosecutor’s offices.”

Police say these crimes must be taken seriously as the stolen property charge only rudiments the characteristics of these cases.

Suspects have been found with guns and may pose a threat to the public. The division’s investigation into these crimes revealed ghost weapons and suspicious vehicles that were chasing them long before they were arrested. Last week, five suspects were detained for both car break-ins and armed robbery, including a youth.

“It’s up to the police to make arrests, and if the police make arrests, it’s up to me to hold them accountable,” said San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin. “That’s exactly what I’m doing.”

Union Square has changed since a mass robbery last month. The police remain in the area weeks later with a heavy presence.

“I feel a lot safer walking around and seeing cops everywhere,” said Kristi Lee, a Christmas shopper in Union Square on Monday. “Before it felt like free for everyone and now we’re taking it over.”

Other visitors to the shopping district were uncomfortable in the city and were surprised that the police had made progress in their investigation.

“Unless I have to get something, I don’t really walk around,” said James Scott. “Well, if they make arrests, I’m sure I haven’t heard of them.”

CONTINUE READING: Company once owned by Pharma Bro Shkreli pays $ 40 million to resolve price gouging lawsuit

Lobsinger said they are hearing the public’s concerns and are working as a police agency to change that perception. More arrests are expected this week.

“There is a certain amount of organization, there is a certain amount of planning, we are organized, we are planning, we are making these arrests, we are going to continue these arrests,” he said on Monday.

Boudin attended a rally of supporters amid efforts to recall him as the DA moves forward. Following the event, he faced media inquiries about the criticism that remained of his approach to these crimes. Boudin declined, saying he had brought more charges than the current Alameda County attorney or his predecessor in San Francisco, compared to their 2018 and 2019 terms.

“The greatest deterrent to committing a crime is knowing that you will be arrested. We need people who come to San Francisco to commit a crime to know without a doubt that if they commit a crime here, they will be arrested, ”Boudin said.

KPIX 5 explicitly asked him if he believed that he was a DA. does everything he can

“This is not a San Francisco problem, this is a problem we see all over the country,” he said.

Boudin said the guilt attributed to him has to do with pre-term politics. He said courts take two years to process cases and he has not served that long. Boudin argued that it would take three years to review the outcome of the cases under his supervision. He said that while the problem is not specific to San Francisco, he is working with other elected officials and law enforcement agencies to fight this organized crime with a regional response.

In the meantime, police are encouraging local residents to report any crimes, as individual incidents could later be linked to a major operation that they are already investigating.

MORE NEWS: Oakland City Council votes to increase the number of police officers

“We are everywhere, we are everywhere in the city and we want people to feel safe here,” said Lobsinger. “We want people to shop here and we want to feel welcome in this city.”

The post Suspects In Violent Smash And Seize Robberies, Automobile Burglaries Will Be Arrested, Convicted – CBS San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

A Nevada craftsman was found guilty Tuesday of killing an 81-year-old man who was strangled in the bedroom of a Newport Beach house six years ago.

An Orange County Superior Court jury found Anthony Thomas Garcia, 62, guilty of first degree murder for the April 11, 2015 murder of Abelardo Lopez Estacion.

However, the jury found that the killing was not carried out for financial reasons. Such a finding would have made it a murder in special circumstances that would have resulted in a likely life sentence with no parole.

The conviction comes less than a year after another jury failed to pass a verdict, resulting in one miscarriage and a second trial. The second trial was postponed several times during testimony after Garcia was placed in temporary quarantine for exposure to other prison inmates who tested positive for COVID-19.

The murder occurred amid an ugly battle for the estate of Dortha Lamb, Estacion’s dying wife. Garcia was Lamb’s granddaughter’s ex-boyfriend, and two of Garcia’s daughters were Lamb’s great-grandchildren.

At the beginning of Garcia’s latest trial, Assistant District Attorney Seton Hunt told the jury that the case was about “family, greed, hatred and deception.”

Lamb – a self-made woman who owned valuable properties in Newport Beach, San Clemente, and Costa Mesa – had been with Estacion for over 20 years but only married him shortly before his death. At the time of Estacion’s murder, Lamb died of terminal cancer and suffered from dementia.

According to testimony during the trials, Garcia and some of Lamb’s relatives believed Estacion was abusing Lamb and taking advantage of her health problems to siphon money from her accounts. According to witness statements, Garcia had told others that he wanted to kill Estacion.

A lawsuit broke out when Lamb’s family took her from their Newport Beach home and tried to kick Estacion out of the residence and prevent her from contacting Lamb. A judge delayed a decision approving an injunction against Estacion.

Hours later, someone walked into the Newport Beach home, cut power to the residence, and suffocated, beat, and strangled Estacion.

Prosecutors allege Garcia drove from Carson City to Newport Beach to kill Estacion and then immediately drove back. It is said that he left his cell phone with his adult daughter, Samantha Garcia, so it would look like he was still in Nevada.

Samantha Garcia initially told investigators that she owned her father’s cell phone and had a fake text message between the two of them the night Estacion was murdered. But during both trials, the daughter retracted these claims, claiming detectives pressured her to lie, claiming she did not have her father’s cell phone that night.

During the trials, Garcia’s attorney, Alisha Montoro, described Garcia as a non-violent, devoted family man who led a simple life. The defense attorney denied that Garcia believed his daughters were entitled to Lamb’s money, telling jurors that Garcia wasn’t even in California on the night of the murder.

Garcia is due to return for trial on April 28. He faces up to 25 years in prison.

The post Nevada handyman convicted of 2015 killing of 81-year-old California man appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

A Nevada craftsman was convicted Tuesday of killing an 81-year-old man who was strangled six years ago in the bedroom of a Newport Beach house.

An Orange County Supreme Court jury found 62-year-old Anthony Thomas Garcia guilty of the murder of Abelardo Lopez Estacion on April 11, 2015.

However, the jury found that the killing was not carried out for financial reasons. Such determination would have made it a murder in special circumstances that would have resulted in a likely life sentence with no parole.

The conviction comes less than a year after another jury failed to pass judgment, resulting in a trial and a second trial. The second trial was postponed several times in the middle of the testimony after Garcia was temporarily quarantined for exposure to other prison inmates who tested positive for COVID-19.

The murder came amid an ugly battle over the estate of Dortha Lamb, Estacion’s dying wife. Garcia was Lamb’s granddaughter’s ex-boyfriend, and two of Garcia’s daughters were Lamb’s great-granddaughters.

At the beginning of Garcia’s latest trial, Assistant District Attorney Seton Hunt told the jury that the case was about “family, greed, hatred and deception.”

Lamb – a self-made woman who owned valuable properties in Newport Beach, San Clemente, and Costa Mesa – had been with Estacion for more than 20 years, but didn’t marry him until shortly before his death. At the time of Estacion’s murder, Lamb died of terminal cancer and dementia.

According to testimony during the trials, Garcia and some of Lamb’s relatives believed Estacion was abusing Lamb and taking advantage of her health problems to suck money from their accounts. Garcia had told others that he reportedly wanted to kill Estacion.

A lawsuit broke out in which Lamb’s family took her from their Newport Beach home and tried to kick Estacion out of the residence and not be allowed to contact Lamb. A judge delayed a decision approving an injunction against Estacion.

Hours later, someone walked into the Newport Beach home, cut power to the residence, and suffocated, beat, and strangled Estacion.

Prosecutors allege Garcia drove from Carson City to Newport Beach to kill Estacion and then drove back immediately. It is said that he left his cell phone with his adult daughter, Samantha Garcia, to make it look like he was still in Nevada.

Samantha Garcia first told investigators that she had her father’s cell phone the night Estacion was murdered, and led a fake text conversation between the two. But during both trials, the daughter retracted these claims because she was pressured by detectives to lie and said she did not have her father’s cell phone that night.

During the trials, Garcia’s attorney, Alisha Montoro, described Garcia as a non-violent, devoted family man who led a simple life. The defense attorney denied that Garcia believed his daughters were entitled to Lamb’s money and told jurors that Garcia was not even in California on the night of the murder.

Garcia is due to return for trial on April 28. He faces a life sentence of up to 25 years.

The post Nevada handyman convicted of 2015 killing of 81-year-old California man – East Bay Occasions appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Photo on Visualhunt.com

A 37-year-old man convicted of rape and other charges on a woman with whom he worked on a cleaning crew at a hotel at San Francisco International Airport in 2019 was sentenced to 18 years in prison by the San Mateo County Attorney’s Office said monday.

A jury found Pedro Galvan Martinez, a resident of Ripon, San Joaquin county, guilty of deadly weapon rape, violent oral copulation, false imprisonment and criminal threats in connection with the July 26, 2019 attack.

Prosecutors said Galvan Martinez and the victim were working at the Grand Hyatt under construction at the SFO hotel, which was closed to the public, and he took her to an unoccupied room at the end of the shift and sexually assaulted her.

The victim called 911 after Galvan Martinez left the room and he later told investigators that they were in a relationship and that the sex was consensual. According to the prosecutor, he repeated his statements of innocence at the hearing on Friday.

Galvan Martinez’s wife, Mayra Galvan, also defended her husband after his conviction on November 10 on the third day of deliberation by the San Mateo County Supreme Court Jury.

“Yes, my husband was a cheat, but he’s not a rapist,” she said. “This jury made a big mistake.”

Galvan said her husband is undocumented and will be deported to Mexico after serving his sentence.

Judge Elizabeth Hill sentenced Galvan Martinez on Friday to 18 years in prison with more than a year of credit for the time already served in prison, prosecutors said.

The post Man convicted of raping co-worker at San Francisco Worldwide Airport lodge below building | Native Information appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.