Lockhard Sentenced to 8 Years for Shooting Girlfriend

Concepcion Garcia reads a statement about her sister, Tiairra Garica, to the court before the Marnicus Lockhard's sentence is handed down.

Tools

Story Published: Jun 19, 2009 at 5:27 PM PST

By Chelsea Kopta

Video

PASCO -- Shrouded by attorneys and police, Marnicus Lockhard said he panicked when he accidentally shot his girlfriend, Tiairra Jo Garcia.

"It was an accident. I panicked and was scared. I played a big part in her life and truly loved her. She was a brilliant person," Lockhard said.

Regrets and Remorse, apologies and promises.

After initially refusing to help find her body, Lock hard Committed to bringing Tiairra's body home.

"Please find it in your heart to forgive me," he said. "For the record, I love you and miss you TJG."

But the words were lost on family and friends.

"Killing her, you killed a large part of me. She had her own life in front of her," Tiairra's mom Donna Garcia said.

"There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of my sister, and the pain and the horror and where her body may lie," sister, Concepcion Garcia said.

"Why would somebody take the life of such a wonderful person?" added friend, Ali Beltran.

Just a month after turning 19, Tiairra was leaving Joey's bar with her boyfriend Marnicus and his friend, Ashone Hollinquist. While Tiairra was driving, the men were passing a gun when it suddenly fired.

"As that transfer took place, the gun went off, never an intentional act," Bob Thompson said, Lockhard's attorney.

But rather than take her to a hospital, they let her die. She was wrapped in a blanket, stuffed in a suitcase, and dumped at Mt. Rainier.

"Give us our Tiairra back," Concepcion said. "So we can give her the proper burial she deserves. Out of respect for our family. Please."

"She was your girlfriend, someone you shared intimately with," Judge Bruce Spanner said. "And as I understand it, she's now in a suitcase somewhere."

Besides the cover-up, Spanner couldn't believe Lockhard had committed a crime with a gun, only one month after he'd been convicted on federal weapons charges.

"Your arrest had been less than one month," Spanner said. "You don't get it Mr.Lockhard."

"My nightmare has yet to end but yours has yet to begin," Donna said.

For now, that nightmare will continue until Tiairra comes home.

Lockhard's guilty plea last week dropped the charges from first degree manslaughter to second. His attorneys said he took the most heat since his friend, Hollinquest, was also charged with manslaughter but made a deal first.

Lockhard was also sentenced on unrelated drug charges.

Current Weather

Current Temp 45.0 °F

Partly Cloudy

Video

More Weather

Current Weather

More Weather

Upload directly from your mobile device.

Learn how

YouNews

This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.