Camp Pendleton

A Santee woman pleaded guilty Friday to voluntary manslaughter in the death of her Marine Corps boyfriend, whom she shot in the head in September.

Yolanda Garcia, 19, could receive 13 years in state prison and a fine of $10,000. A murder charge was dismissed.

San Diego Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Zumwalt Kutzner told Garcia that she will not receive probation at her sentencing, which was scheduled for May 6.

Anthony Jackson, 20, who was stationed at Camp Pendleton, was shot Sept. 24 at his parents’ home in San Diego, and died Oct. 10.

In one of several stories told to police, Garcia said the shooting was part of a scheme in which she was to shoot Jackson in the shoulder to disable him so he could get out of the Marine Corps. She closed her eyes when she fired the gun and fired the bullet into his head, she claimed.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Denise McGuire asked the judge to put Garcia in custody immediately after the plea. Jackson’s mother, Eleanor, and his aunt and uncle also made impassioned pleas to the judge to send Garcia to jail now.

“She’ll have her freedom in 13 years, but we’ll never have Anthony back,” said Kathy Jackson, an aunt.

Kutzner said Garcia has made every court appearance and the $50,000 bail figure she has posted was enough to insure her attendance at sentencing. Kutzner allowed her to remain free on bail.

Jackson was married at the time but separated from his wife and had been seeing Garcia.