The Troubled Life and Crimes of Anthony Garcia

The Making of a Killer

June 7, 1973, marked the birth of Anthony Joseph Garcia in Los Angeles, California. To the outside world, his life seemed promising. Born to Fred, a postal service worker, and Estella, a nurse from Mexico, Garcia had two younger siblings and a seemingly supportive family structure. His journey through academia led him to acquire a medical degree from the University of Utah in 1999. Yet, beneath the surface of his educational pursuits lay a turbulent path marred by alleged misconduct and professional failures.

Garcia's medical career began to unravel at the Bassett-St. Elizabeth Family Medicine program in Utica, New York, where he was forced to resign after just six months due to "unprofessional and inappropriate conduct." The New York State Board of Professional Medical Conduct issued him an administrative warning on July 25, 2001, which would shadow him if he ever attempted to practice medicine in the state again.

In July 2000, Garcia found himself at Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska, embarking on another residency in the pathology department. Under the watchful eye of Dr. Chhanda Bewtra, Garcia's performance quickly fell under scrutiny. She described his attitude as "passive/aggressive" and criticized his lack of initiative and responsibility. Bewtra's formal complaints to Dr. William Hunter, head of the pathology residency program, led to Garcia being placed on probation for his erratic behavior, which included mishandling an autopsy and harassing a colleague, Dr. Hisham Hashish, with an inappropriate phone call. Garcia's tenure at Creighton ended unceremoniously when he was terminated on May 22, 2001.

Despite his dismissal, Dr. Hunter attempted to assist Garcia by providing a brief recommendation. Garcia continued his medical journey at the University of Illinois Chicago from 2001 to 2003, eventually citing health issues as his reason for leaving. He returned home to California, where his career took another turn in 2007 when Dr. Anita Kablinger hired him at the LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, Louisiana. However, his past caught up with him, and he was let go on February 27, 2008, for failing to disclose his previous disciplinary actions.

The Creighton Murders

The tranquility of the Hunter household in Dundee, Omaha, was shattered on March 13, 2008. Dr. William Hunter returned home to find his eleven-year-old son, Thomas, and 57-year-old housekeeper, Shirlee Sherman, brutally murdered. The scene was gruesome, both victims stabbed with knives from the kitchen. Detectives Derek Mois and Scott Warner were assigned to the case, piecing together witness descriptions of a heavy-set, olive-skinned man driving a silver Honda CRV with an out-of-state license plate.

Despite extensive investigations into both the Hunter and Sherman families, no leads emerged, leaving the case cold. It wasn't until May 14, 2013, that echoes of the past reemerged. At the home of Roger and Mary Brumback, a piano mover discovered a handgun magazine at the open doorway. Inside, the Brumbacks lay dead, Roger shot and stabbed, Mary fatally stabbed. Detectives Mois and Warner, dispatched to the scene, quickly connected the Brumback murders with the earlier Hunter case, noting Dr. Brumback's past association with Dr. Hunter.

Four days after the Brumback murders, an attempted break-in at Dr. Chhanda Bewtra's home was reported. The intruder was likely scared off by the alarm system, but the connection to the ongoing investigation was undeniable.

The Investigation and Arrest

The resurfacing of the case led detectives to revisit Anthony Garcia's file. His dismissal from Creighton and subsequent employment struggles provided a potential motive for revenge against Drs. Hunter, Brumback, and Bewtra. Garcia's recent purchase of a firearm in Indiana, aligning with the magazine found at the Brumback scene, further implicated him. His credit card transactions and phone records placed him near the crime scenes on Mother's Day, solidifying the detectives' theory.

Garcia was apprehended on July 15, 2013, in Union County, Illinois, during a DUI stop, where officers discovered a .45 caliber handgun, ammunition, and a stethoscope in his car. With these findings, Nebraska authorities charged him with four counts of first-degree murder and related felonies.

Trial and Sentencing

The trial, initially set for April 2016, finally commenced on October 3 after several delays. Prosecutors Don Kleine and Brenda Beadle presented a damning case, highlighting evidence from Garcia's home, including a termination letter from Creighton and a "to-do" list with incriminating notes. The prosecution also introduced Cecilia Hoffman, a former stripper, who testified about Garcia's chilling admission of having "killed a young boy and an old woman."

Despite Garcia's apparent disinterest during the trial, often wearing headphones and seemingly asleep, the jury found him guilty on October 26, 2016, of nine counts, including four counts of first-degree murder. Sentencing was delayed due to a state vote on the death penalty, but in September 2018, Garcia was sentenced to death by a three-judge panel.

Aftermath and Appeal

Now residing on death row at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution, Garcia's case took another turn in November 2022 when the public defender's office began appeals. By March 2023, his defense filed a motion for a new trial, citing 130 alleged errors during the original proceedings, including ineffective counsel and issues with evidence handling.

Sources

For further information, please visit the original Wikipedia article.