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‘No chance to survive this slaughter’: Final defendant to be sentenced in graduation eve murder of two Md. teens Final defendant sentenced to 100 years for graduation eve, double-murder in Montgomery County
(about 2 hours later)
Their convictions were so extreme, the murders so horrifying, it was difficult to imagine the three men getting sentenced to anything less than life in prison. They had lured two Maryland teenagers to a darkened cul-de-sac under the guise of buying an extra ticket to the teens’ graduation ceremony the next day, climbed out of a car, and pumped a barrage of bullets into them. The fourth and final defendant accused of gunning down two Maryland teenagers on the eve of their high school graduation was sentenced to 100 years in prison Friday, concluding a long-running case that the presiding judge has said sent “a shock wave” through Montgomery County.
“There was no chance to survive this slaughter,” Montgomery County Circuit Judge David Boynton said. “It was just this senseless and overwhelming use of deadly force.” Roger Garcia, 22, showed little emotion as Circuit Judge David Boynton imposed the term.
Jose Canales-Yanez, Rony Galicia and Edgar Garcia-Gaona all received three life sentences. And all three were ordered to have no chance at parole. “They massacred these boys,” said Boynton, adding Garcia played a key role in the murders in which the victims were drawn into an ambush. “He is the one who set up this lure.”
As the fourth and final defendant goes before Boynton for sentencing Friday, the outlook is slightly different. Under Maryland rules, Garcia will be eligible for possible release in about 50 years.
Roger Garcia, 22, faces a maximum of 100 years in prison. Under Maryland rules, he’d be eligible for possible release after about half that term. Garcia and the three other defendants, according to trial evidence, lured the victims to a darkened cul-de-sac in Montgomery Village under the guise of buying an extra ticket to the teens’ graduation ceremony. The shooters instead fired at least 30 rounds at the boys.
In court filings this week, Garcia’s attorney asked for a sentence closer to 40 years. “He was the least culpable of the four,” the attorney, John Sharifi, wrote of Garcia. The three others — Jose Canales-Yanez, 28, Rony Galicia, 27, and Edgar Garcia-Gaona, 26 — had earlier received three life sentences. All three were ordered to have no chance at parole.
In filings of their own, prosecutors countered that Garcia’s role was critical and he was one of the four shooters. In court filings this week, Garcia’s attorney had asked for a sentence closer to 40 years. “He was the least culpable of the four,” the attorney, John Sharifi, wrote of Garcia.
In filings of their own, prosecutors had countered that Garcia’s role was critical and he was one of the four shooters.
“Devoid of empathy and a conscience,” is how Montgomery County prosecutors Marybeth Ayres and Jessica Hall described Garcia. “No rehabilitation can undo these deficiencies.”“Devoid of empathy and a conscience,” is how Montgomery County prosecutors Marybeth Ayres and Jessica Hall described Garcia. “No rehabilitation can undo these deficiencies.”
Maryland sentencing guidelines, which are not binding, recommend a term of 40 to 70 years. Maryland sentencing guidelines, which are not binding, recommended a term of 40 to 70 years.
The murders, as Boynton put it, sent “a shock wave” through Montgomery County, a jurisdiction of 1.1 million residents just north of Washington.
‘Gotcha’ vs. ‘gotchu’: How social media shorthand became key evidence in a double-murder trial‘Gotcha’ vs. ‘gotchu’: How social media shorthand became key evidence in a double-murder trial
The victims, Shadi Najjar, 17, and Artem Ziberov, 18, were set to graduate from Northwest High School on June 6, 2017. The previous night, Najjar had an extra ticket to the ceremony and announced on the social media platform Snapchat that he wanted to sell it.The victims, Shadi Najjar, 17, and Artem Ziberov, 18, were set to graduate from Northwest High School on June 6, 2017. The previous night, Najjar had an extra ticket to the ceremony and announced on the social media platform Snapchat that he wanted to sell it.
But there was a lot going on in the background that night that Najjar did not know about.But there was a lot going on in the background that night that Najjar did not know about.
It traced back to six months prior, when Najjar had arranged to purchase marijuana from a woman who happened to be the wife of Canales-Yanez, according to prosecutors. Rather than buy it, Najjar had snatched it without paying and driven over the woman’s foot as he fled, prosecutors said. She was not seriously injured, but the incident enraged Canales-Yanez, prosecutors said. He wanted to retaliate, according to court proceedings, and took his time doing so.It traced back to six months prior, when Najjar had arranged to purchase marijuana from a woman who happened to be the wife of Canales-Yanez, according to prosecutors. Rather than buy it, Najjar had snatched it without paying and driven over the woman’s foot as he fled, prosecutors said. She was not seriously injured, but the incident enraged Canales-Yanez, prosecutors said. He wanted to retaliate, according to court proceedings, and took his time doing so.
One of his methods: asking his friend, Garcia, to connect to Najjar via Snapchat to monitor his activities.One of his methods: asking his friend, Garcia, to connect to Najjar via Snapchat to monitor his activities.
When Garcia saw Najjar’s posting about the ticket, he sent a text to Canales-Yanez about it, according to prosecutors. Suddenly, Canales-Yanez had his chance.When Garcia saw Najjar’s posting about the ticket, he sent a text to Canales-Yanez about it, according to prosecutors. Suddenly, Canales-Yanez had his chance.
That night, all four were inside a mobile home where Garcia lived, according to prosecutors, and plotted how to lure Najjar to his death. It was Garcia, prosecutors asserted, who used his Snapchat connection to send the actual messages feigning interest in the ticket and telling Najjar exactly where to meet.That night, all four were inside a mobile home where Garcia lived, according to prosecutors, and plotted how to lure Najjar to his death. It was Garcia, prosecutors asserted, who used his Snapchat connection to send the actual messages feigning interest in the ticket and telling Najjar exactly where to meet.
‘To us, it’s justice’: Parents of teens killed on graduation eve speak after latest verdicts‘To us, it’s justice’: Parents of teens killed on graduation eve speak after latest verdicts
With Najjar that night was his friend Ziberov. There was no evidence linking Ziberov to the earlier botched marijuana sale. By 10:30 p.m., the two were sitting in Najjar’s idling Honda Civic on a cul-de-sac in Montgomery Village, expecting to sell the ticket. With Najjar that night was his friend Ziberov. There was no evidence linking Ziberov to the earlier botched marijuana sale. By 10:30 p.m., the two were sitting in Najjar’s idling Honda Civic, expecting to sell the ticket.
Prosecutors said that as the killers eased by the Honda in their own car, they saw, unexpectedly, that Najjar had a passenger. They kept driving, around the circle at the end of the cul-de-sac, discussing what to do, according to prosecutors, before deciding to kill them both — Najjar for the revenge, his passenger to silence any potential witness.Prosecutors said that as the killers eased by the Honda in their own car, they saw, unexpectedly, that Najjar had a passenger. They kept driving, around the circle at the end of the cul-de-sac, discussing what to do, according to prosecutors, before deciding to kill them both — Najjar for the revenge, his passenger to silence any potential witness.
At least 30 rounds were fired at the boys.At least 30 rounds were fired at the boys.
There was a sharp difference between the verdicts handed down to the first three defendants — Canales-Yanez, 28; Galicia, 27; and Garcia-Gaona, 26 — and the one handed down to Garcia in his trial last month. There was a sharp difference between the verdicts handed down to the first three defendants and the verdict handed down to Garcia in his trial last month.
The first three were found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and two counts of first-degree murder, making them eligible for the life terms. They were also convicted of gun charges and robbery, the latter count for stealing Najjar’s phone after shooting him.The first three were found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and two counts of first-degree murder, making them eligible for the life terms. They were also convicted of gun charges and robbery, the latter count for stealing Najjar’s phone after shooting him.
Garcia was acquitted of conspiracy to commit murder and first-degree murder, an indication that jurors had doubts he planned the crimes or that he ever formed the premeditated mind-set to commit them. Garcia was convicted of two counts of a lesser form of homicide — second-degree murder — as well as two gun counts.Garcia was acquitted of conspiracy to commit murder and first-degree murder, an indication that jurors had doubts he planned the crimes or that he ever formed the premeditated mind-set to commit them. Garcia was convicted of two counts of a lesser form of homicide — second-degree murder — as well as two gun counts.
He was also acquitted of robbery. Sharifi said that is an indication the jury had doubts Garcia even left the trailer.He was also acquitted of robbery. Sharifi said that is an indication the jury had doubts Garcia even left the trailer.
In their filings, prosecutors stressed that it was Garcia who sent the Snapchat messages to Najjar that set up the ambush. And ballistics evidence at the murder scene, they wrote, put Garcia there along with the three other gunmen.In their filings, prosecutors stressed that it was Garcia who sent the Snapchat messages to Najjar that set up the ambush. And ballistics evidence at the murder scene, they wrote, put Garcia there along with the three other gunmen.
“He was also a shooter,” they wrote, “firing at least six shots at Shadi and Artem.”“He was also a shooter,” they wrote, “firing at least six shots at Shadi and Artem.”
Garcia’s sentencing is set for 1:30 p.m. in Montgomery County Circuit Court.
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