Paul Raymond Garcia, Involuntary Manslaughter, New Mexico 2015
Garcia's Guilty Plea Marks End of a Long Road for Victim's Family. On March 23, 2015, Paul Raymond Garcia, 19, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Nation, crashed his vehicle on the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation in Otero County, New Mexico, killing a Mescalero Apache woman.
According to the indictment, Garcia was driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash. His reckless driving rendered him incapable of exercising clear judgment and a steady hand in operating the vehicle, ultimately resulting in the victim's death.
Garcia was arrested on January 2016 on a criminal complaint charging him with involuntary manslaughter. He was subsequently indicted on the same charge on June 22, 2016.
On today's proceedings, Garcia pled guilty to the indictment, admitting to killing the victim by driving recklessly while under the influence of alcohol. This case was investigated by the Mescalero Agency of the BIA’s Office of Justice Services and the New Mexico State Police.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office. Garcia’s guilty plea marks the end of a long road for the victim’s family, who have waited over a year for justice.
The exact sentence Garcia will receive was not specified in the DOJ press release. More information will be provided once a final sentence is handed down.
Defendant Information: Paul Raymond Garcia, 19, enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Nation, residing in Mescalero, New Mexico. Criminal Charges: Involuntary Manslaughter. City and State: Las Cruces, New Mexico. Crime Date: March 23, 2015. Arrest Date: January 2016. Sentence: Guilty Plea (sentence pending).
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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