‘Took away his dreams’: Idaho prisoner convicted for murder of another incarcerated man

Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman

(Idaho Statesman) — Junior Garcia was looking guardant to a batch erstwhile he sewage retired of prison. But his grandmother’s day topped nan list.

“That was gonna beryllium his gift to her to show her, ‘Hey, Grandma, I’m yet here,’” Garcia’s sister, Yecenia Diaz Rodriguez, told nan Idaho Statesman connected Tuesday.

Garcia ne'er made it to his grandmother’s 80th birthday. The 26-year-old, whom his family remembered arsenic a kindhearted, funny man, was beaten to decease by 2 different men incarcerated astatine nan Idaho Maximum Security Institution southbound of Boise successful June 2023, a period earlier her day party.

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Garcia was sentenced to a minimum of 3 years successful situation for aggravated artillery pinch usage of a deadly limb successful 2020. He was granted parole connected June 9, his fiance, Isabella Ramos, told nan Statesman.

Juan Santos-Quintero Jr., who was already serving a life sentence, was convicted of nan first-degree execution successful Garcia’s decease Tuesday, according to nan Ada County Prosecutor’s Office. A expansive assemblage indicted Santos-Quintero connected nan complaint successful September. He was eligible for parole successful December 2044 and convicted of astir a twelve felonies, including robbery, burglary and enhancements for battle aliases artillery upon definite personnel.

Juan Santos-Quintero Jr. was convicted of nan first-degree execution of chap Idaho Maximum Security Institution captive Junior Garcia, 26, successful June 2023. He’ll beryllium sentenced successful October. | Darin Oswald, Idaho Statesman

The different man, Joshua Pedroza, who was tied to Garcia’s death, pleaded blameworthy to aggravated artillery successful February and was sentenced to an further 15 years successful prison, tribunal records showed. He’s eligible for parole successful 2033.

“Regardless of what he did, my relative was a quality being,” Diaz Rodriguez, told nan Statesman successful an in-person question and reply pursuing nan verdict. “He had family who loved him. He had a daughter, and they took each that from him. … They took distant his dreams.”

Diaz-Rodriguez recalled Santos-Quintero arsenic Garcia’s puerility friend and a changeless beingness successful their location successful Idaho Falls.

“I ne'er thought that personification who lent you a manus truthful galore times would person done what he did,” Diaz Rodriguez said, referring to Santos-Quintero.

For Ramos, losing Garcia besides meant losing each nan plans they’d made for erstwhile he sewage retired of prison.

Ramos told nan Statesman that Garcia was readying to move to Caldwell, wherever he planned to activity successful roofing, and was excited to show Ramos’ kids really to tie and play sports.

“Just beryllium a portion of life,” she said.

Garcia kicked dozens of times, charismatic says

All 3 of nan men — Garcia, Santos-Quintero and Pedroza — were portion of nan aforesaid “walk,” aliases a group of up to 16 men, successful nan maximum information prison. On nan day of June 14, 2023, they extracurricular successful nan prison’s recreational area erstwhile nan onslaught occurred.

“This wasn’t immoderate benignant of frenzied attack,” Ada County Deputy Prosecutor Katelyn Skagg said successful court. “This was Mr. Santos-Quintero kicking nan unfortunate again, and again, and again,” arsenic Garcia laic level and defenseless connected his backmost “not lifting a finger.”

Santos-Quintero kicked Garcia 45 times. During nan five-day trial, nan prosecution presented video footage of nan battle and called respective existent and erstwhile correctional officers who witnessed nan altercation. Images presented successful tribunal showed Garcia lying adjacent to a cage successful nan recreational area, pinch his look covered successful blood.

When Santos-Quintero was escorted retired of nan recreational area by nan officers, he joked astir nan humor connected 1 of his shoes, saying that he “didn’t recognize they sold reddish shoes” successful nan prison’s commissary, IDOC Correctional Officer Forrest Knight said successful court.

Santos-Quintero was sentenced to a maximum of life successful situation but was eligible for parole successful 2044, according to online situation records. With this newest conviction, he’ll astatine slightest person different 10 years successful situation and up to a life condemnation without nan action of parole.

Diaz Rodriguez said she hopes Santos-Quintero receives life successful prison. Both Santos-Quintero and Pedroza will person to reply to God for their crimes, she told nan Statesman.

Those charged pinch first-degree execution are eligible for nan decease punishment if prosecutors activity it and tin prove “aggravating circumstances,” for illustration if nan execution was particularly heinous. The prosecution didn’t record an intent to activity nan decease punishment for Santos-Quintero. He’s expected to beryllium sentenced Oct. 7.

“All I dream is that my relative — now that we’re yet astatine nan extremity section of this — that he’s resting successful bid and that he sewage nan justness that he deserves,” Diaz Rodriguez said.