Teen-Ager Guilty in Murder of Boy, 16
A Harbor City teen-ager has been found guilty of murder in the fatal drive-by shooting of a 16-year-old boy who was walking home from church in Wilmington last year. It was Hector Garcia’s third murder conviction in a month.
Garcia, who turned 18 in May, will return to Long Beach Superior Court Sept. 1 and could receive 27 years to life in prison for the murder of Rafael Pereda. He was shot to death March 22, 1988, moments after he left a youth meeting at Holy Family Catholic Church.
Garcia also faces 37 years to life in prison for a double murder in a drive-by shooting in August, 1988, in Wilmington.
“Hopefully the judge will string the sentences together and he will get at least 64 years to life,” said Deputy Dist. Atty. Scott Carbaugh as the verdict was read last Friday. Carbaugh said he would have sought the death penalty if Garcia had been an adult when he committed the crimes.
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