Thread: CA-Trial begins for Mexican fugitive in girl's killing

Trial begins for Mexican fugitive in girl's killing

Victor Manuel Garcia, 25, fled the country after the September 2001 slaying in Fairview Park, prosecutor says.

By RACHANEE SRISAVASDI
The Orange County Register
Monday, July 13, 2009

SANTA ANA – Opening statements were given today in the murder trial of Victor Manuel Garcia – a Mexican fugitive accused of severely beating a teen-age girl to death in a Costa Mesa park.

Garcia, 25, of Mexico City, was drinking beer with his cousin and friend at Fairview Regional Park celebrating the birth of his newborn daughter on the night of Sept. 21, 2001, Deputy District Attorney Matt Murphy said.

Ceceline Godsoe, 16, was also at the park with a friend, said Murphy.

Garcia and Godsoe, who appear to have known each other through a mutual acquaintance, left the group to walk alone in the park, Murphy told jurors.

The pair didn't return, so Godsoe's friend decided to look for her, Murphy said. He found her beaten, lifeless body lying on the side of a trail.

Garcia – who was nowhere to be found – had knocked her down and repeatedly punched her, Murphy said.

Jurors were shown photos of Godsoe's battered body.

"During the beating, Ceceline Godsoe's lungs fill with blood, she was choking and her whole body was fighting for life,'' Murphy said.

Garcia then dragged her body to a nearby embankment, Murphy said. "He left her in the dirt and the dark,'' he added.

After finding her body, Godsoe's friend walked to Godsoe's home nearby, and told the girl's father of her death.

Her father went to the park to see his child, Murphy said.

"He looked down and there was his daughter,'' the prosecutor said.

The police soon arrived, and saw Godsoe's father kneeling next to body of daughter and crying, he added.

During his opening statements, Garcia's defense attorney, Deputy Alternate Public Defender Frank Davis, told jurors they weren't tasked with determining Garcia's culpability.

"This isn't a whodunit," Davis said. "You're not deciding what Mr. Garcia did … you have to decide his liability in our society. You 12 people have to decide his responsibility."

The defense attorneys said there wasn't any evidence that Garcia intended to kill Godsoe.

"What Mr. Garcia's actions were that day, and what was his intent?" Davis said. "At the end of the trial, we'll have more questions than answers … about what Garcia was thinking."

Garcia fled to Mexico soon after being interviewed by police after the crime, authorities said.
In 2004, Garcia became the first juvenile to be extradited from Mexico to face murder charges in the United States, prosecutors said. He was 17 at the time of the crime.

A judge determined in April 2006 that Garcia should be tried as an adult, prosecutors said.

The trial, which is being held in the courtroom of Orange County Superior Court Judge William Froeberg, is expected to wrap up this week.

Contact the writer: 714-834-3773 or rsrisavasdi@ocregister.com

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/garc ... -body-park

gee...takes a real "big" "man" to beat a teen ager to death. How much more of this sadness will we put up with???

Maybe Chuckie Shmuckie Schumer might like to read this.