Inset: Martin Garcia (Bexar County Jail). Background: Authorities at the home where Garcia killed his wife (KSAT).
In Texas, a 66-year-old man has been sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison for brutally killing his ex-wife. He stabbed her 95 times when he found out she had moved on and was planning to leave their shared home, even after their divorce. The judge, Ron Rangel, from Bexar County Criminal District, issued a 45-year prison term for Martin Garcia for the murder of Teresa Moreno Garcia in 2023.
Through an agreement with the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office, Garcia accepted a plea deal by pleading no contest to a single charge of murder. In return, he received a sentence of up to 45 years, with credit for the 454 days he had already spent in custody.
The sentencing hearing
During the sentencing hearing, Teresa Garcia’s two sons spoke about their late mother, portraying her as a caring and loving figure who had been a victim of domestic violence at the hands of Martin Garcia, as reported by San Antonio’s ABC affiliate, KSAT.
“She did not know how to escape,” one of Teresa Garcias sons said, talking about her relationship with Martin Garcia.
“He would say things like, ‘If I can’t have her, nobody can,”” the victim’s other son said. He also implored those listening to listen to victims of domestic violence, saying that they had known Martin Garcia was abusive for decades.
Prosecutors said that while the couple had divorced several years earlier, they reportedly remained living together due to money struggles. It wasn’t until Teresa Garcia told her ex that she had met someone new and was going to be moving out that he “violently attacked her,” according to the San Antonio Express-News.
Martin Garcia also took the stand Monday, telling the court, “I loved her very much.”
“She was the only one I loved,” he said. “I did what I did, I am very sorry, but I loved her.”
The murder
As Law&Crime previously reported, officers with the San Antonio Police Department at about 11 p.m. on the night of Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023, responded to an emergency call at a residence located in the 200 block of Channing Avenue regarding an adult female being stabbed. The caller identified himself as Martin Garcia before explaining to the dispatcher that he had just finished killing his wife by stabbing her to death.
Upon arriving at the address, first responders said they found the victim — later identified as Teresa Garcia — suffering from what appeared to be multiple stab wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The San Antonio Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services were also dispatched to the residence. Police said that when they found Martin Garcia at the scene he appeared to have intentionally cut one of his wrists. He was transported to a local hospital for a medical evaluation before being taken into custody without incident.
A copy of the arrest report obtained by the San Antonio Express-News provided additional information regarding the circumstances of the alleged domestic violence murder.
According to the report, Martin Garcia told the 911 emergency dispatcher that he had used a knife to murder Teresa Garcia — whom he referred to as his wife — after the two had gotten into a heated argument before slitting his own wrist.
Garcia reportedly explained that they were arguing because he believed that his wife was cheating on him. He said that at some point during the argument, Teresa Garcia attempted to leave the house, which is when he attacked and repeatedly stabbed her.
When officers arrived at the couple’s home, Martin Garcia was waiting for them outside the residence. Teresa Garcia’s body was discovered lying on the floor inside the home.
The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office performed an autopsy on the victim and determined the manner of death was a homicide and the cause of death was multiple sharp force injuries.
