Post by Scumhunter on May 14, 2015 6:47:59 GMT -5
(Above photo credit: amw.com archives)
Fugitive Profile as of May 14th, 2015 (based on 2012 AMW archive):
Sex: Male
Race: Hispanic
Current Age: 28-30
Height: 5' 3"
Weight: 130 lbs.
Hair (Color, Description, Facial Hair): Black
Eyes: Brown
Last Seen: Queens , NY
Other Possible Locations: New York, Puebla , Mexico
Who to call if you've seen him: Based on wanted location, our advice is to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS or submit a web tip to them at the following link: a056-crimestoppers.nyc.gov/crimestoppers/public/tip-form.cfm
Cruz Garcia was aired twice on America's Most Wanted: Once on November 22nd, 2008 and again on June 27th, 2009. Below is the AMW archive description of his alleged crime:
Deportee Accused Of Returning To Commit Murder
As the 7 train rumbles on the elevated tracks overhead, the primarily South and Central American immigrants in the Elmhurst section of Queens, N.Y. hustle to jobs all but invisible to most New Yorkers: hauling planks across construction sites, washing dishes in restaurants, loading boxes in darkened warehouses.
In the not-too-distant past, a Spanish speaker would have detected accents from Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, among other places. Although the sons and daughters of Medellin, Quito and Lima maintain a substantial presence in the neighborhood, the most visible newcomers are the Mexicans.
Many say they were forced to smuggle themselves into the United States to earn a living and support their families south of the border. Their numbers are difficult to ascertain, but experts claim there may be as many as 350,000 Mexicans in New York City.
Adriana Valderrama, 23, from the Mexican state of Puebla, was supporting a young child and working in the Mexican dance halls along Roosevelt Avenue. The clubs there are a refuge for tired laborers, who send money back home, and pay as little as $2 to dance and chat with beautiful women like Andriana.
On December 17, 2007, Andriana was working in the Tulcinga Cafe when she had an unexpected encounter with another Puebla native, Cruz Garcia. According to police, the pair never exchanged a word, but by the time Garcia fled into the shadows of the city, authorities say, Andriana was dead.
A Man With A Past
Garcia never should have been in the Tulcinga Cafe that night.
In fact, he wasn't even supposed to be on American soil.
In 2004, Queens detectives had arrested him for his alleged role in a homicide. The evidence was insubstantial, and prosecutors opted not to bring him to trial. Nonetheless, he was deported to Mexico as an illegal alien.
Authorities say that they could sense that Garcia was a bad guy. With his deportation, they assumed, he'd become Mexico's problem.
It was a serious miscalculation. Police say that Garcia managed to sneak back into the United States -- following a path well-tread by other alleged criminal deportees who frequently victimize their fellow immigrants along the way
Tequila Shots And Machismo On A Cold NYC Night
The pre-Christmas scene in the Tulcinga Cafe was merry and raucous. As a freelancer, Adriana had the option of moving on to another dance hall if business was slow, but on this night, she was busy, as music blared and the crowd sipped tropical liquors.
Cruz Garcia entered the club with a mysterious friend only known as "Christo." Police say that it didn't take long for the deportee to find trouble, bumping into another immigrant named Jorge Ojeda, then threatening, pushing and shoving.
In between serving drinks, the bartender grabbed a flashlight and shined it at the two men in a signal for the bouncers to break up the altercation. Garcia and his friend were escorted outside, while Ojeda continued partying with his uncle and brother.
Adriana tended to her patrons, and the incident was apparently over.
Hit From Behind In A Hail Of Gunfire
According to police, Garcia stayed angry. Soon after his ejection, he alllegedly burst through the doors of the club, aimed a .44 at Ojeda and struck him in the shoulder.
For some reason, the bouncers decided to chase the accused trigger man, pursuing him onto Roosevelt Avenue. Adriana was among a group who left the club to watch the spectacle, and was turning to re-enter the nightclub when Garcia allegedly wheeled around and fired at the bouncers.
He missed.
Instead, a bullet pierced Adriana's spine, killing the young woman.
Detectives desperately want to track down Garcia, who they believe may still be shuttling between Puebla and New York.
They also hope to uncover the identity of his friend "Christo." Although the city's English-speaking media covered the story, the Spanish-language Univision network has twice featured Cruz Garcia on its program "Premier Impacto."
Despite the fact that the show aired in both the United States and Mexico, Garcia remains at large.
As Adriana's boyfriend raises their child alone, police hope that "America's Most Wanted" will bring Garcia to justice.
Thoughts? As far as I know Cruz Garcia is still at large as of this posting date (5/14/2015). He is not in the NY inmate search system and I have seen no news articles of his capture. Once again, if anyone has proof otherwise, feel free to send it to us.
This is an underrated and ridiculous case. All this started because a guy bumped into him? An innocent bystander winds up getting killed? I can't tell you how many "bumped into guy at a nightclub" incidents that have turned into murders that I've seen on the news. (or even Aaron Hernandez, who allegedly killed a guy because he spilled a drink on him). But in addition to this, we have Cruz Garcia deported previously for his possible involvement in another homicide. This guy is dangerous, and he needs to be taken down.
Also, not trying to say Adriana's death was anyone but Cruz Garcia's fault, I stress that, but I do feel in a situation like that, unless you're licensed to carry a gun yourself and can return fire to prevent any more fatalities, chasing a guy while unarmed is NOT a wise thing to do. Especially if he's running away on a public street, where it's not a good idea whether you're armed or not. (If Cruz Garcia was still firing, then trying to take him down- armed or not- would be the right and heroic thing to do- but it appears he had fled the scene) It doesn't appear the bouncers were armed, so chasing him was rather dangerous. I think in a situation like that, a guy with a gun, it's best to duck and take cover and not follow him whether you're a bouncer or a bystander. It's just my advice for anyone in these situations.
As for Cruz Garica's whereabouts, while I take it he might have fled to Mexico initially, he did eventually come back to the United States even after deportation.
web.archive.org/web/20120407062634/http://www.amw.com/fugitives/brief.cfm?id=57012
Admin Note: If you have any news-related updated information on this case, please contact us here: amwfans.com/thread/1662/website-contact-form
