Capt. John Espinoza, of the Tracy Police Department, said Wednesday that 22-year-old Victor Garcia and his 21-year-old sister, Samantha Garcia, both of Modesto, were arrested by Tracy police in Modesto at about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, for the alleged murder of 22-year-old Phillip Gregory Sanchez.
Sanchez was reportedly stabbed multiple times in the upper torso between 12:17 and 12:22 a.m., according to Espinoza.
Investigators believe Victor Garcia carried out the stabbing, but Espinoza said both Garcias will likely be charged with murder. The two were booked in the San Joaquin County Jail in French Camp as of 7:30 p.m., but no formal charges were listed, according to the jail website.
Victor Garcia is on probation and was on parole from prison until Assembly Bill 109 transferred the responsibility of some prisoners from the state to the local level, according to Espinoza,.
Officers responded to an initial report of a fight at 12:17 a.m. on the 200 block of West Whittier Avenue, Espinoza said. The suspects allegedly drove away from scene shortly after police were called, he noted
Espinoza wasn’t sure exactly when officers arrived on scene, but said that officers called for an ambulance about four minutes after the fight was first reported.
Sanchez was taken by ambulance to Sutter Tracy Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
No weapon was recovered at the alleged crime scene, Espinoza said. Police have an idea of what caused Sanchez's wounds but Espinoza would not discuss any details because the case is still under investigation.
“(I) can’t give any more details at the time,” he said.
Espinoza said that witness reports helped to identify one of the suspects and then track the pair to Modesto.
“All the officers on the scene worked through the night,” he said.
Espinoza did not release any further information, except that the two would be booked into San Joaquin County Jail in French Camp.
“Right now it’s still ongoing investigation,” he said.
Sanchez’s death is the fourth homicide this year in Tracy.
Jose Anthony Sosa Jr. became the first homicide victim this year when he was fatally shot on Walnut Avenue near 11th Street on Feb. 4. Samuel Inguanzo of Tracy and Manuel Pelayo of Stockton are charged in that alleged murder.
On Feb. 24, Tracy resident Everuvaldo Cruz-Espino was shot in the neck while driving a car north on Tracy Boulevard near Whispering Wind Drive. He later died on March 1, and Daniel Batchelder and Francisco Limon have been arrested and charged in that killing.
On July 7 at the Hacienda Inn, 639 W. 11th St., Lalita Patel was allegedly assaulted and murdered by Stephen Andrew Carreiro. He is also being tried for the alleged crime.
• Contact Jon Mendelson 830-4231 or jmendelson@tracypress.com.
Love always Ida
Also what the heck happened?
All parolees should wear monitors.
My condolences to his friends and family.
Someone tell me how this is suppose to be saving money by letting people out early or by not sending them to prison. Now the county/city has to pick up the tab.