Murder defendant Tony Garcia comatose as $75M claim levied
A double murder defendant found unconscious a little over three weeks ago after apparently being assaulted by another inmate remains in a comatose state with a $75 million claim pending over his condition.
Tony Garcia, 69, never regained consciousness after the April 11 incident at the Todd Road Jail outside Santa Paula, and as of Thursday he was in critical but stable condition, Ventura County Sheriff's Capt. Dean Worthy said.
Garcia has allegedly been assaulted repeatedly at the jail since he was booked on Feb. 7 of last year on suspicion of the cold-case murders of two young women in 1981, according to court records. The incidents all appear to have stemmed from conflicts with other inmates.
Garcia, who was jailed without bail, has pleaded not guilty.
The first incident appears relatively minor. But he was hospitalized twice after incidents at the jail last year, according to medical records filed in support of an unsuccessful effort to get him released from jail in March. Then in April, he was rendered unconscious after another alleged attack.
Attorney files claims against Ventura County
Defense attorney Brandon Sua says jail officials are responsible for his client's injuries because they failed to segregate him adequately from other inmates. Due to the nature of the criminal allegations against him, Garcia represents a "unique" security risk, Sua said in legal claims filed against the Ventura County government.
Sua has filed two claims on Garcia's behalf against the local government for more than $75 million, normally a preliminary step before filing a lawsuit. The initial and far smaller claim for roughly $204,000 was filed in March after three incidents in 2023. It is specifically tied to an incident in mid-November when Garcia was hospitalized for major injuries. County risk management officials returned that claim without action, saying Garcia missed the deadline.
But in a second claim filed in late April, Sua asks for $75 million over the fourth and most recent incident tied to Garcia's comatose state. The demand is still under review by county officials.
Garcia assaulted repeatedly at jail, court papers allege
Garcia was segregated from other inmates at the jail as of March, according to a prosecution document. But on the morning of April 11, deputies reportedly found him unconscious and non-responsive in the day room area of his housing unit. They rendered medical aid before he was transported to Ventura County Medical Center, according to a statement issued by the Sheriff's Office.
He had been talking with his wife in a visitation area of the jail and was on the way back to his cell when he was attacked, Sua said. Garcia was shackled at his hands and feet and guarded by at least one correctional officer when he was assaulted by at least one other inmate, according to the claim over the latest incident.
He sustained a traumatic brain injury and multiple injuries to the face and skull, the claim says.
He was hospitalized at VCMC until April 30, when he was transferred to an advanced long-term care facility, Worthy said. Sua initially reported that his client was on life support but Worthy said Thursday that Garcia was breathing on his own.
Garcia accused in cold-case murders
Garcia is accused of killing 20-year-old Camarillo resident Rachel Zendejas and 21-year-old Oxnard resident Lisa Gondek. His trial in Ventura County Superior Court had not yet started at the time he was discovered unconscious, but the pre-trial process was underway.
Two months ago, his legal counsel asked the courts to release him from jail with an electronic monitor or to allow him to post bail due to the threat to his safety. If denied bail, Garcia will "likely meet his demise long before this case ever makes it to a trial," attorney Catherine Guzman said in a legal motion.
Prosecutor Richard Simon, though, argued there was a substantial likelihood that Garcia would try to kill another young woman or flee if bail were granted. Simon said he understood that Garcia was not in danger because of safeguards taken at the jail to segregate him from other inmates.
Superior Court Judge Nancy Ayers denied Garcia's request for release from jail.
Worthy declined to comment on the safeguards the jail had taken, citing pending litigation.
Garcia is now being monitored electronically at the long-term care facility where he's staying, Worthy said.
The four incidents appear to be of different but escalating natures. In the first one, Garcia allegedly fell after being pushed against the door to his cell by an unidentified inmate, but was apparently not seriously injured. In the second, he was cut in the neck and face by an inmate who has subsequently been charged with attempted murder. He sustained numerous fractures and an intracranial hemorrhage in the third incident, but prosecutors decided not to press charges against the other inmate.
It's not clear exactly why that decision was made, but court papers suggest that the other inmate claimed self-defense during a fight with Garcia.
No one has been arrested in connection with the latest assault on Garcia and the matter is still under investigation, Worthy said.
Kathleen Wilson covers courts and local government issues for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at kathleen.wilson@vcstar.com or 805-437-0271.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Comatose murder defendant Tony Garcia moved to long-term care
