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Saturday, November 22, 2008

CA- Charges filed in trailer park killing

Garcia, who killed Maddon, ended up serving 1-year in jail! See below..
11-22-2008 California:

A Chico man was charged with murder Thursday after a Crescent City man was fatally stabbed Wednesday night at the Shangri-La Trailer Court, 1130 U.S. Hwy. 101 North.

Mario Contreras Garcia, 21, is in custody at the Del Norte County Jail, charged with the murder of Terry Eugene Maddon, 39, said the Del Norte County Sheriff's Office Thursday. Garcia is being held without bail.

A second defendant, Guillermo Montanez, 20, of Crescent City, is in jail on suspicion of being an accessory to the murder and is being held on $500,000 bail.

Authorities were called to the trailer park at about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. By then, Maddon had been taken by ambulance to Sutter Coast Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

"Basically we got a call that he had been transported to the hospital by ambulance and had been stabbed," said sheriff's Detective Ed Fleshman.

Maddon was stabbed once in the area to the left of his armpit.

"It was an altercation between (Maddon and) two Mexican males and one female," said Fleshman.

As investigators continued to search the scene, two people were taken into custody. They were eventually released, said Fleshman, but not before authorities were able to get information on the suspects.

"Because of that they uncovered some very good leads for us," said Detective Sergeant Steve Morris.

Early Thursday, hours after the stabbing, Del Norte Search and Rescue workers found Mario Garcia "hiding behind a trailer in the back of the park," Fleshman said.

Garcia's sister, Maricruz Garcia, was also questioned and released.

Fleshman did not release details of a possible motive in the killing of Maddon, a registered sex offender.

Morris said that the suspected murder weapon, a lock-back folding knife was also found.

"It was located in a storage shed in the trailer park," said the sergeant.

Maddon had lived with his mother, Georgie Maddon, 57, at the trailer park, said the Sheriff's Office. Georgie Maddon was named on the lease, which began in December 2007, but her son was not, authorities said.

Maddon had been convicted of sexually abusing a minor under 14.

Morris said the office is awaiting forensic tests on evidence from the knife and from Mario Garcia's clothing.

The sergeant said authorities are investigating other suspects in the case as well. ..News Source.. by Triplicate staff writer

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Stabbing charge lowered

2-21-2009 California:

Manslaughter now alleged

The charge against a Crescent City man accused in a fatal stabbing was reduced Friday from murder to manslaughter.

Mario Contreras Garcia, 21, was facing a murder charge after he confessed to stabbing Terry Maddon, 39, during an altercation at the Shangri-la Trailer Court on U.S. Highway 101 last Nov. 19.

Garcia now faces charges of voluntary manslaughter and assault with a deadly weapon, with an enhancement for allegedly using a knife, said District Attorney Mike Riese. Garcia pleaded not guilty last year.

“The victim’s family is really disappointed that while we thought intent was there, the judge didn’t see it,” said Riese, noting intent is needed for a murder charge to stick.

Garcia’s sister, Maricruz Contreras Garcia, 18, recently pleaded guilty to destruction of evidence in connection with the case for attempting to wash bloodstained clothing. Her boyfriend, Guillermo Montanez, 20, pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact. They have not been sentenced

Riese said visiting Judge Phillip Schaeffer found “there was a gap in the evidence to show” that Mario Garcia intended to kill Maddon.

“When the evidence shows that it looks like multiple people on one, and one person comes armed with a knife, we file murder charges,” said the DA in defense of his original filing.

Mario Garcia told authorities that Maddon was intoxicated and hit him, causing him to fall, according to court documents. Garcia said he blacked out, then got up and stabbed Maddon.

“I’m disappointed the judge did not agree, but that’s the nature of the system, so instead of facing life, he now faces approximately a decade,” said Riese.

After authorities arrived, it took half the night to locate Mario Garcia, who was found hiding in the back of the trailer park.

Bloodstained clothing worn by Maricruz Garcia and Montanez was found in the possession of Maricruz Garcia that night, the documents state. She admitted she was about to launder the clothing.

The suspected murder weapon, a bloodstained knife, was also found at the trailer park from information obtained from Maricruz Garcia, the documents state.

A pre-trial hearing for Mario Garcia is scheduled for April 16. ..Source.. Adam Madison, The Triplicate

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Convict in fatal stabbing to be released

9-18-2009 California:

One-year prison term given at sentencing in manslaughter case

A 21-year-old man who pled guilty to causing the stabbing death of a man during an altercation last year will soon be released after being sentenced Thursday to one year in county jail.

Mario Garcia, 21, of Crescent City was sentenced by Judge Phillip Schaffer in Del Norte County Superior Court to one year in jail, with a stipulated seven year prison sentence and five years of probation on charges of voluntary manslaughter with an enhancement for using a knife during commission of a felony.

Garcia was originally charged with murder, but Judge Schaffer found there was insufficient evidence to show that Garcia intended to kill Maddon, so charges were reduced to manslaughter.

Garcia pled guilty to the manslaughter charges in August.

He has served 302 days with 75 custodial credit days for good behavior, totaling 377 days, according to court proceedings.

The Del Norte County jail said Garcia was still in custody on Thursday night.
Garcia was convicted for the fatal stabbing of Terry Maddon, 39, during a fight at Shangri-La Trailer Court on Nov. 19 of last year.

Garcia’s sister, Maricruz Garcia, then 18, pled guilty earlier this year to destruction of evidence in connection with the crime for attempting to wash blood stained clothing. Guillermo Montanez, her boyfriend, then 20, pled guilty to being an accessory after the fact.

According to Del Norte County Deputy District Attorney Katie Micks, Montanez and Maricruz Garcia have not been sentenced yet.

Garcia declined to address the court, speaking only through his attorney, Darren McElfresh.

In defense of Garcia, McElfresh said that autopsy reports showed Maddon had methamphetamine in his system and that Maddon had caused the altercation.

The attorney said that the stabbing was self-defense, according to autopsy reports that showed Maddon had scuffs on his knees as if he had mounted Garcia to assault him.

“The victim was the initiator,” said McElfresh. “My client was struck first,” he said.

Georgina Maddon, the victim’s mother, and Julie Collyer, another relative, addressed the court by phone.

“He took my boy’s life and he gets away with a slap on the hand. I can never accept that,” said Georgina Maddon.

“He’s my son, and he’s way more important than that,” she said, her sobbing audible through the speaker- phone.

“I pray that justice was served, and it was not today,” she said before hanging up the phone.

Collyer was contacted and addressed the court by speaker-phone next.

“I will say this to the young man,” she said, addressing Garcia. “It just killed me. You didn’t even know his name.”

Collyer broke down after the statement. Her sobbing could be clearly heard through the phone.

“You took an innocent man, and you didn’t even know his name,” she said.

Collyer addressed Garcia’s sentence as well.

“Whatever you get will not bring Terry back,” she said.

“I’m damn angry, and I don’t wish you dead. I just hope that every day you remember him,” said Collyer.

Tracy Brown, Maddon’s sister, addressed the court in person through tears after Collyer and Georgina Maddon had finished their telephone appearances.

“He would never have hurt you. You came to his house,” said Brown.

She said she could forgive the actual crime but was more worried about how the death affected their mother.

“You hurt my mom. He died in her arms. I’ll never have the same mom,” said Brown.

She said she would leave judgement up to a higher power.

“If you believe in god, then you’d better get next to him,” said Brown, before leaving the courtroom. ..Source.. by Adam Madison, The Triplicate

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Accomplices in fatal stabbing at trailer park sentenced

9-19-2009 California:

The final two people involved in the stabbing death of Terry Maddon in a trailer park last year were sentenced on Friday.

Mario Garcia, who had pled guilty in August to stabbing Maddon and causing his death during an altercation at Shangri-la Trailer Park on Nov. 19, was sentenced on Thursday.

He was released from custody yesterday, due to already having served his sentence, which was one year, while awaiting court proceedings.


Maricruz Garcia and her boyfriend, Guillermo Montanez, were reported as being at the scene of the stabbing, according to authorities.

Maricruz Garcia pled guilty to destruction of evidence for attempting to wash bloodstained clothing worn by Mario Garcia.

Montanez pled guilty to being an accessory after the fact for being involved in the attempt to cover up the crime, according to authorities.

Montanez and Maricruz were each fined $500 plus court fees and sentenced to three years of informal probation.

Montanez had previously served 54 days in Del Norte County Jail on the offense, and Maricruz Garcia had credit for two days served. ..Source.. by Adam Madison, The Triplicate

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