JOHNSON COUNTY, Ind. — Emilio Garcia on Tuesday admitted to the killing of 18-year-old Donovan Burdine, of Franklin, in January 2020.
Police say Garcia and others went to a home on Hurricane Ave. behind the Girls and Boys Club to deliver marijuana. There was an argument at the house involving multiple people and shots were fired. When police arrived, they found Burdine shot to death in the front yard.
Franklin Police used home security video of a neighbor’s house to identify and locate a car and driver that left the house after the shooting. The driver identified Garcia as being involved in the shooting.
Garcia was found and arrested for murder. He admitted to being involved in the shooting after being shown evidence.
Garcia told police Burdine was trying to rob him during the drug deal and shot at him. Garcia said he then chased Burdine, shooting at him multiple times with his own gun. Garcia caught up with Burdine in the front yard, took Burdine’s gun from him, and shot him twice in the back of the head.
Because police evidence showed that Garcia was responding to the robbery attempt and gunfight, he was eligible to be convicted and sentenced on the crime of Voluntary Manslaughter.
Garcia will be sentenced April 8. He entered into a plea deal with prosecutors and will serve 18 years in prison for Voluntary Manslaughter.
