Suvechha Sarkar
Matthew Terrahl Garcia was a bright and compassionate city councilman who was admired in the Fairfield, California, community. Sadly, his life came to an abrupt halt after he was brutally shot in September 2008. What initially seemed to be a straightforward murder plot turned out to be a tragic case of mistaken identity. His untimely demise not only devastated his family and friends but also sent shockwaves through the whole city. Investigation Discovery’s ‘Suspicious Minds: Who Killed the Councilman?’ featured heartfelt accounts from his loved ones and interviews with the officials who ultimately solved the case.
Matthew Garcia Was Living a Remarkable Life Before He Was Brutally Shot
Born on July 14, 1986, Matthew Terrahl Garcia entered the world surrounded by the love of his father, Matt Garcia Sr., and mother, Teresa Courtemanche. However, due to turmoil in their relationship, Teresa moved on and remarried his stepfather, Raymond Courtemanche, who also loved him immeasurably. He grew up surrounded by their love alongside his sisters, Briana and Tearae, and his brother, Joseph. Matt had always been a favorite of his grandmothers, Chris Garcia, Anne Taylor, and Rita Courtemanche. From a young age, he fostered a desire to serve his community. He was a member of Parkway Community Church’s youth programs, Quest and High Life. There, Matt embraced a mission, traveled to Mexico to build homes, and volunteered with the Bread of Life Food Reach Initiative.
Matt’s sense of leadership commenced in the eighth grade when he was elected President of Green Valley Middle School and also served as a conflict manager. At Armijo High School, he juggled academics with his athleticism and played on the varsity baseball team as a junior. He then became the Vice President of his senior class and even held impressive titles like Homecoming and Prom King. After graduating, Matt served as a detention aide, a Physical Education Substitute Teacher, and even became Principal of the Day for multiple high schools. Ultimately, his vision to do something for the community led him to achieve a historic milestone. In November 2007, at just 21, Matt was elected as Fairfield’s youngest city council member. He lived a purposeful life and even aspired to be the Mayor one day.
However, everything changed on the fateful night of September 1, 2008, when Matt was driving to meet his friend, Sarah Patio. He drove into the subdivision to visit her house, but took a wrong turn. Upon realizing his mistake, he took a U-turn and returned to the location. When he stepped down from the car, shots were fired, and one of them hit him at the base of the back of his skull. When Sarah came out of her cover, she found him unconscious. She called 911 immediately, reporting the shooting. Officials rushed him to the local hospital, but he was declared brain dead. They found his car parked along the roadway and multiple .22 bullet casings on the scene. The bullet was lodged in his brain, and he was kept on life support until his organs were donated. Matt was reportedly taken off life support on the morning of Tuesday, September 2, 2008.
Matt Garcia’s Killers Were Arrested After an Unexpected Confession
Investigators first questioned Sarah, who informed them that when she found Matt unconscious, she also saw a midsize vehicle. She also stated that she saw a man with a dark complexion, possibly “black” or “Hispanic,” enter the car before it drove off. Since, at that time, the gang issues in Fairfield were quite bad, police decided to look into ex-convicts or people with violent criminal histories in the area. Soon, they found Roger Gundi, who dealt with narcotics and was a gang member. However, he claimed that he was not at home at that time. When his alibi checked out, he was set free. Detectives turned their attention to Sarah, who revealed she had a jealous ex-boyfriend, Eric. However, they discovered he was in Honolulu, Hawaii, which raised red flags.
Officials pursued another lead when Matt’s biological father, Matt Garcia Sr., was absent during his mourning gathering. They reportedly discovered that he had a violent past and was involved in gangs. He was an inmate at the California Correctional System and was a gang member in the state prison. Detectives considered the possibility that someone may have targeted Matt to retaliate against his father. During the investigation, Teresa recalled that one day, when they were coming out of a church, their family had seen a lady at the back of a car clicking photos of Matt. However, it drove away when Raymond approached the vehicle. Investigators further found that Mark had a strained relationship with one of the then-council members, Frank Kardos.
Matt allegedly did not want Frank to hold the office since the latter was arrested and awaiting trial on domestic violence charges. However, all of these leads turned unviable when the police received a tip from Gene Allen Combs. When he came in for questioning, he reportedly confessed that he was in the car with Henry Don Williams and his girlfriend when they had gone to Roger’s home to collect drug debt. When Henry saw Matt drive by, he mistook him for the dealer. He followed him, got out of his car, and shot him. Gene was arrested on September 13, 2008, on suspicion of murder, conspiracy, and use of a firearm charges. Henry was arrested on September 20 and charged with first-degree murder and personal and intentional discharge and use of a firearm.
Henry Williams Seemingly Remains Incarcerated, While Gene Combs is Likely Out on Parole
The trials of Henry William and Gene Combs began separately in the Solano County Superior Court in California in May 2010. The prosecution argued that the murder of Matt Garcia was a tragic case of mistaken identity, which was fueled by anger and a desire for retribution. According to them, it was a result of seeking revenge against a drug dealer who had allegedly scammed them out of $50. They claimed that Gene had enlisted the help of Henry to confront and ultimately shoot the intended target, Roger. On the other hand, William testified in his defense during his trial and claimed he was not the shooter. However, he had admitted to being at the scene but denied pulling the trigger. The prosecution presented several pieces of evidence, such as supplying the gun and even Gene’s encouragement of the shooting.
Additionally, eyewitness testimony and forensic evidence confirmed their presence at the location of the crime scene. Ultimately, after deliberation, Henry was convicted of first-degree murder with an enhancement for the use of a gun on May 28, 2010. He was sentenced on July 19, 2010, to 50 years to life in prison. Gene was convicted of second-degree murder and was sentenced in September 2010 to serve 15 years to life in prison. In January 2023, Williams filed a petition to challenge the firearm enhancement applied to Williams’ sentence, seeking a reduction in his overall sentence. The hearing date was set for March 27, 2023. As of writing, Henry seems to be serving his time in a prison facility in California. Meanwhile, Gene was eligible for parole in May 2021. Today, he appears to be out on supervision and leading a quiet life.
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