Tarrant woman told gunman, ‘Baby, shred these [expletives],’ then testified against him
A Fort Worth woman who directed a man with a pistol to fire at a moving vehicle and kill an 18-year-old with a shot to the back of the head will soon be released after serving about four years in custody.
Cristina Watkins, 33, on Tuesday pleaded guilty to deadly conduct-discharge of a firearm in connection with the Feb. 2, 2020, killing of Lawrence Garcia Jr. She was sentenced in the 297th District Court in Tarrant County to three years in prison.
Watkins, who demanded the violence in crude terms, last month testified against the shooter, Marcus Williams, at his murder trial. At the time of her testimony, Watkins was under indictment for murder in the case.
A jury found Williams guilty and sentenced him to 30 years in prison. Williams is 31.
Watkins has been in continuous custody since three days after the homicide, so she has more than enough credit for time served, according to Harmony Schuerman, Watkins’ attorney. Watkins will likely have to go to prison briefly as required by the state agency that operates prisons.
During a dispute between two groups of people, Watkins stood in the street and yelled to Williams, “Baby, shred these [expletives],” according to an affidavit supporting her arrest.
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“The decision to accept the plea was made based on testimony at the Williams trial and evidence in Cristina’s specific case,” a Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office spokesperson wrote in a response to a reporter’s inquiry.
Garcia was slain when he and three other people drove to a house in the 100 block of South Sylvania Avenue in Fort Worth. The group arrived and saw five people, including Watkins, standing in the street.
As the group pulled up, Watkins stated, “Where she at? Where she at?” Someone asked “Who?” Watkins replied, “You, [expletive]“ and reached into the vehicle.
Now inside the vehicle, Watkins yanked hair and threw punches. Others in the vehicle pushed Watkins back to the street.
After she was pushed and as the vehicle drove away, Watkins ordered Williams to shoot, and he did, according to the affidavit, which attributed the account to witnesses.
Williams fired once at the vehicle. The bullet hit Garcia, who was pronounced dead the next day at a hospital.
Watkins was indicted under the law of parties that holds a person criminally responsible for the conduct of another person if the defendant solicits, encourages, direct or aids the other person to commit an offense.
