A 35-year-old Houston repair shop owner was given a 35-year prison term after spending 2 years on the run in Central America.
In October, Oscar Aristides Garcia admitted to the killing. He shot and murdered a man he thought was robbing his store. Garcia’s defense team asked for a 15-year sentence while the prosecution requested a 50-year sentence.
Garcia observed 37-year-old Nicolas Bautista and his girlfriend passing by his store on October 28, 2018. At a nearby cafe, the pair planned to eat. Garcia mistook Bautista for the individual he felt was stealing truck tailgates from his store.
Garcia jumped into the truck he was already working on at the shop while grabbing a shotgun. He went to the restaurant after the couple, but it was already closed. While Garcia was secretly going to chase Bautista and his girlfriend, they got into an Uber and headed to another restaurant. They got another Uber to their Wafer Street residence after they had done eating. Garcia then decided to confront Bautista.
Garcia left the vehicle and began shouting at Bautista in Spanish. Garcia was informed that Bautista could not speak Spanish and that he was mistaken by his girlfriend. Garcia shot Bautista in the back as he turned to leave. He eventually turned and pulled the trigger while aiming the rifle toward Bautista’s girlfriend, but nothing happened.
