A Nampa woman was sentenced for murder. Whether she committed murder is unclear
A Nampa woman was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole by 4th District Judge Micheal Reardon for her involvement in the killing of a 42-year-old man.
Eava June-McCarthy, now 20, will spend at least the next 18 years in prison before she can become eligible for parole, after entering a guilty plea to a first-degree murder charge in the death of Gamaliel Nava Garzon. The minimum sentence for first-degree murder is a life sentence with the possibility of parole after 10 years. She is also expected to pay about $19,000 in restitution.
“I don’t think I have the words to fully express how sorry I am for my actions and how they resulted in the loss of your father,” June-McCarthy said in her statement, as she addressed his children. “I know that because of me, he won’t be around for special moments in your life.”
June-McCarthy pleaded guilty in March in an agreement that dismissed an additional charge — one count of destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence. June-McCarthy also asked that any language stating the murder was premeditated be dismissed.
“This is a tragic situation which resulted in the unlawful death of Gamaliel Nava Garzon,” Ada County Deputy Prosecutor Daniel Peterson said Friday. “A single father who had provided a home and nurture to his three children and grandchild.”
June-McCarthy’s attorney, Anthony Geddes, said the incident involved multiple people and June-McCarthy didn’t actually shoot Nava Garzon. No one else has been arrested in the case, Geddes said.
June-McCarthy and others initially visited Nava Garzon to rob him, according to attorneys. Under Idaho law, if someone is involved in a murder while in the process of or attempt of a burglary, it is considered first-degree murder. The Idaho Statesman has reached out to the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office for additional information on the other suspects.
“She wasn’t the one who killed him. She wasn’t the one who pulled the trigger, and yet she’s the only one currently being held accountable,” Geddes said. “That’s been a difficult barrier for us to get over.”
But Reardon said that June-McCarthy has previously admitted to having a more direct role in Nava Garzon’s death.
“I can’t really be sure of what exactly happened in the room beyond that (Nava Garzon) lost his life for no reason, other than greed,” Reardon said.
Details of Nava Garzon’s death unclear
The slaying occurred at a La Quinta Inn and Suites By Wyndham, near the Boise Towne Square mall, in October 2020 during an attempted robbery, when June-McCarthy was 18 years old.
Gamaliel Nava Garzon was stabbed in the eye and shot, which led to his death, according to previous reporting by the Statesman. Geddes said that on the night of his death, Nava Garzon expected to have an “enjoyable evening smoking meth and having sex with a couple of ladies in his hotel room.”
But the evening “took a turn,” Geddes said. June-McCarthy and others had planned to rob Nava Garzon.
“It was a chaotic crime scene, but it was apparent that there was a terrible struggle there — multiple people were involved,” Geddes said. “There was a tremendous amount of blood. It was everywhere, but particularly in the entryway by the door.”
Geddes said that the crime scene was unique, specifically because of the blood pattern. Geddes said Nava Garzon likely was alone, struggling to find the door and seeking help after he was shot. Nava Garzon was found by emergency personnel outside his hotel room’s hallway.
June-McCarthy, who was under the influence of meth during the crime, initially told authorities that she killed Nava Garzon out of revenge because he raped her, but Geddes said she changed her story multiple times.
Geddes also said June-McCarthy has had a tough life, including abuse and neglect, and has been a drug user since she was a child.
“If she ever at any point determines to put her brains, and her survivor skills, and her street smarts to good use, she could have tremendous affect on other people,” Geddes said, “either in the prison or after she gets out.”
