BRONX MAN SENTENCED TO 14 YEARS IN PRISON FOR FATALLY STABBING FRIEND OVER PETTY DISPUTE

Defendant Pleaded Guilty to Manslaughter

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for fatally stabbing his friend in May 2016. The defendant’s brother was also sentenced for his involvement in the incident. 

 District Attorney Clark said, “Yet again, the Bronx sees a senseless violent act stemming from a petty argument. The victim was killed at a young age, and the defendants, who are also young men, must now face the consequences and go to prison.” 

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Brandon Garcia, 24, of 3219 Barker Avenue, was sentenced today to 14 years in prison and 5 years post-release supervision by Bronx Supreme Court Justice James McCarty. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree Manslaughter before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Barry E. Warhit on January 9, 2019. The defendant’s brother Gary Garcia, 20, pleaded guilty to second-degree Assault on January 9, 2019. He was given Youthful Offender status and was sentenced by Justice Warhit to 1 1/3 to 4 years in prison on January 29, 2019.

 According to the investigation, on May 11, 2016, in front of 2953 Decatur Avenue, Brandon Garcia stabbed Daniel Pena, 23, causing his death. Pena and Garcia, who were friends, had gotten into an argument a few days prior to the incident over littering in front of Pena’s grandmother’s apartment. The argument continued on the day of the incident when the defendant and his brother saw the victim on a street corner. The younger brother got into a physical altercation with Pena. Brandon Garcia then stabbed Pena three times in the torso, the force of the stabbing caused the knife handle to break from the blade, leaving the blade stuck in Pena’s body. The victim died shortly after at the hospital. The defendants fled to Puerto Rico where they were arrested on May 26, 2016.

 District Attorney Clark thanked Detective Mitchell Geist of Bronx Homicide, Detective Edward Reardon of the 52nd Precinct, and Detective Investigator Stephen Polizzi of the Bronx DA’s Detective Investigators.