Local : 2 Face Trial in Tustin Marine Slaying

Two men have been ordered to stand trial on murder charges in the Christmas night shooting of a visiting Marine who was based in Tustin.

Richard Andrew Garcia Jr., 23, is charged with first-degree murder and Robert Lawrence Vincent, 24, with second-degree murder in the slaying of Anthony Alvarado, 23, of San Antonio.

Alvarado, who had been stationed at the Marine Corps Air Station in Tustin, was shot in the head after he, two other Marines on Christmas leave and a civilian companion got into an argument with three other men at a convenience store where they stopped to buy beer. Police said the argument began inside the store and spilled outside into the parking lot. The men left in a car but returned a few minutes later, and shots were fired into the group of Marines.

Municipal Court Judge Peter McBrien bound Garcia and Vincent over to Superior Court for trial after a Wednesday preliminary hearing. Both men are from the Sacramento suburb of Citrus Heights. Prosecutors allege that Garcia was the triggerman and Vincent the driver of the getaway car.