Nov 21, 2006 3:13 pm US/Pacific
Jury Finds Mario Garcia Guilty Of Murder
CBS13 TALKBACK: Do You Agree With The Garcia Guilty Verdict? Respond
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) ―
A Sacramento jury has found Mario Garcia guilty of first degree murder in the death of Christie Wilson.
CBS13's Bridget Cannata was in the courtroom says that Christie Wilson's family cheered as the guilty verdict was read. The jury also found Garcia guilty of possession of a deadly weapon.
Twenty-seven-year-old Christie Wilson disappeared from Thunder Valley Casino last October. Surveillance video from the casino showed Wilson leaving with Mario Garcia. Her body has never been found.
The jury had been deliberating since last Thursday..
The jury, which consists of ten men and two women, has heard nearly two months of arguments and evidence, but never saw a murder weapon.
During closing arguments, the prosecution read emails of Christie Wilson's before the days leading up to her death. The emails reportedly noted that Wilson was happy, and looking forward to starting her new job. The prosecution then noted that those dreams were shattered by Mario Garcia.
They accused Garcia's testimony of being full of contradictions, calling his appearance on the stand, "smooth, smart, and evasive."
The defense tried pulling the prosecution apart for more than an hour. They alleged the prosecution's evidence had been tampered with. The defense described Wilson as a troubled girl who had difficulty holding down a job.
Garcia now faces a life sentence in prison without parole.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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