Case # 16HF1033
Date: August 19, 2016
FUGITIVE EXTRADITED FROM NEVADA TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR MURDER OF 81-YEAR-OLD MAN IN NEWPORT BEACH
SANTA ANA, Calif. – A fugitive was extradited from Nevada on Wednesday and is scheduled to be arraigned for the murder of an 81-year-old man in Newport Beach. Anthony Thomas Garcia, 57, Carson City, Nevada, is charged with one felony count of special circumstances murder for financial gain. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in state prison without the possibility of parole. The defendant is scheduled for a continued arraignment on Sept. 16, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana.
On April 11, 2015, Garcia is accused of murdering 81-year-old Abelardo Estancion at the victim’s Newport Beach home. Garcia is accused of subsequently fleeing to Nevada. The Orange County Coroner’s Office determined the victim’s death was a homicide.
On July 28, 2016, after the Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD) identified Garcia as a suspect during their thorough investigation, the defendant was arrested in Nevada with the help of the Carson County District Attorney’s Office and Carson County Sheriff’s Department.
On Aug. 17, 2016, after the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) secured Garcia’s extradition, NBPD transported the defendant from Nevada to Orange County.
The investigation is ongoing and no further information is being released at this time.
The OCDA worked with the investigating agency and assisted foreign jurisdiction to extradite the defendant. The Special Prosecutions Unit is dedicated to the apprehension and extradition of our most serious, violent, and dangerous fugitives from anywhere in the world. The majority of extradition cases involve homicide, sexual assault, gangs, major fraud, and child abduction. The OCDA partners with local law enforcement, as well as Interpol, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, US Marshals, State Department, Department of Justice, and Homeland Security, in a continuous effort to prosecute fugitives, protect the public, and seek justice for victims.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Matt Murphy of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.