Palmetto woman helped her boyfriend cover up murder in Manatee County, detectives say
Deputies have charged a third suspect in the case of a man found dead in the trunk of a car at a Palmetto nature preserve in August.
Jenny Garcia, 27, is accused of helping her boyfriend Freddy Sandoval cover up the murder of Manuel Escobar, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies say Garcia lied to detectives during the investigation and disposed of evidence. They also accuse her of helping distract her boyfriend’s mom while another man, Idus Murkerson, shot and killed Escobar over a money dispute.
Investigators say Garcia also helped Sandoval steal a watch, marijuana and guns from the dead man’s apartment.
Garcia is charged as an accomplice after the fact to murder, according to court records. Her attorney did not immediately respond to the Bradenton Herald’s request for comment.
Text message evidence leads to arrest, sheriff’s office says
Detectives say text messages show Garcia and Sandoval were “in constant communication” around the time of the murder, directly contradicting Garcia’s statements to detectives that they did not talk that day.
Detectives accuse Garcia of plotting with Sandoval to keep his mother away from the house when the murder occurred.
“Ima drive idk where we going,” Garcia allegedly texted Sandoval on the night of the murder.
“Lmaooo just gimme some time babe,” Sandoval wrote back to her, according to an arrest record.
Investigators say while Garcia was keeping Sandoval’s mom out of the house, a murder took place.
Murder happened over money dispute, detectives say
Investigators say the murder plot was formed because Sandoval wanted to get rid of a $2,000 debt to Escobar. But Sandoval called on someone else to do the killing, according to one of the accounts collected by deputies.
Murkerson told detectives that Sandoval approached him two days before the murder and said he needed to kill Escobar or Sandoval would kill his family, according to an arrest report.
Deputies said Sandoval lured Escobar to his home in the 2800 block of Fifth Street in East Bradenton to buy cocaine from Murkerson.
On the night of the murder, Murkerson says Sandoval gave him a handgun and told him to “take care of your business.”
When Escobar arrived in a black Challenger later that night, detectives say Murkerson asked the victim “if he had the drugs.” When Escobar reached into the passenger seat, detectives say Murkerson shot him three to four times. A friend of Murkerson’s then came and opened the trunk while Murkerson and Sandoval moved the victim’s dead body and placed it inside, according to an arrest report.
The Bradenton Herald previously reported that an arrest report mentioned surveillance footage showing a third man captured on camera helping Sandoval and Murkerson move the body, but court records show no arrests have been made.
Items stolen from murdered man’s apartment, detectives say
When asked about his involvement, Sandoval had a different account of events. Sandoval told detectives he felt like he was “forced to help” Murkerson because he was armed, according to an arrest report.
But detectives say text messages between Garcia and Sandoval show he had a plan to rob the victim ahead of time.
“Ima have to do what I got to do with mejeeziee. Gots to,” Sandoval allegedly told Garcia in a text conversation. Investigators say “mejeeziee” is a nickname Escobar commonly went by.
A confidential informant told detectives Sandoval planned to rob and kill the victim and later stole a watch, marijuana and firearms from Escobar’s apartment, according to an arrest report.
Investigators say cellphone data placed Garcia and Sandoval at Escobar’s apartment at Carlton Arms the day after the murder. They also obtained surveillance footage that allegedly shows Garcia carrying a duffel bag inside the apartment which matched the description of a bag described by the informant.
Detectives say stolen weapons belonging to Escobar were later recovered at Sandoval’s apartment.
Following the shooting, detectives say Murkerson got into the passenger seat of Escobar’s car and Sandoval got into the driver’s seat and drove to Palmetto Estuary Nature Preserve, where they left the vehicle.
The next day, officers with the Palmetto Police Department discovered the body when they noticed the trunk of the black Dodge Challenger was “slightly ajar.” Upon further investigation, police say blood appeared to be on the driver’s seat.
When police opened the trunk, they say they discovered Escobar’s lifeless body with multiple gunshot wounds.
Garcia accused of helping clean up murder scene
Detectives say the vehicle also appeared to have been wiped down and that bleach had been used to clean up the scene by Sandoval and Garcia.
Deputies also say Garcia helped Sandoval remove evidence from his house, including Escobar’s watch and clothing belonging to Sandoval and Escobar. In an interview with detectives, Garcia initially denied taking anything but later admitted to removing items, according to an arrest report.
Surveillance footage allegedly showed Garcia moving bags, including a duffel bag, to her mother’s house. In a phone call from jail, detectives say Garcia allegedly told Sandoval she had hidden evidence in the kitchen trash.
Deputies arrested Garcia on a charge of accessory after the fact on Dec. 18.
Murkerson and Sandoval were arrested in August and remain in custody at the Manatee County jail, according to the sheriff’s office website. They are next scheduled to appear in court on February 27, according to court records.
