San Jose
  • Current Conditions
    61°
    Mostly Cloudy
  • 7:00pm
    58°
  • 10:00pm
    55°
Full Forecast » Radar ImageCurrent Radar »
Related To Story

Mayor Wants To Triple Reward In Garcia Slaying

POSTED: 7:43 pm PDT September 5, 2008
UPDATED: 9:28 pm PDT September 8, 2008

Fairfield Mayor Harry Price wants to gather funds to triple a $50,000 reward being offered to find the person who killed a city councilman.

Residents of this city, about 40 miles northeast of San Francisco, were shocked when 22-year-old Matt Garcia was gunned down outside a friend's house on Sept. 1. Garcia, one of the youngest elected officials in the state, was declared brain dead, and his family took him off life support last Friday.

The outrage prompted Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to offer a $50,000 reward in the case. Price said Monday that he plans to ask the Solano County Board of Supervisors and the Fairfield City Council to each match the amount, for a total of $150,000.

No suspects have been named in the shooting.

Meanwhile, mourners were gathering Monday evening for a public viewing. Thousands of people are expected to attend a "Keep the Dream Alive" memorial service for slain Fairfield Councilman Matt Garcia at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Armijo High School.

Ron Marlette, spokesman for the Garcia family, said speakers at Tuesday's memorial will include Mayor Harry Price, Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District board president Chuck Wood, and Assemblywoman Lois Wolk, D-Davis.

Representatives from the offices of U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, state Sen. Mike Machado, D-Linden, U.S. Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-Alamo, will also attend.

Garcia's father Raymond Courtemanche, his sisters Brianna and Tearae, and his grandmother Chris Garcia will present eulogies, Marlette said.

The seating capacity of the football field and the gymnasium is 4,000, and the campus will open for seating at 3 p.m. The school is located at 824 Washington St.

Early arrivals may line up at 2:30 p.m. for seating inside the stadium, city officials said. City Hall will close at 3 p.m.

Garcia's casket will arrive at the high school on a fire truck, Marlette said. A private burial is scheduled at Fairmont Memorial Park in Fairfield after the estimated 90-minute memorial service at the high school where Garcia graduated in 2004.

The service will include photographs of Garcia on a huge "JumboTron" screen and the release of 36 doves, Marlette said.

Teen singer Holly Stell, dubbed the "Petite Pavarotti", is flying to the Bay Area from Europe and will sing Amazing Grace, Marlette said.

Police said Washington Street, from Texas Street to Louisiana Street, will be closed to traffic.

Parking will be available on streets surrounding the high school and at off-street facilities including the First Baptist Church, the Solano County juror parking lot, the Solano County parking garage, the city of Fairfield parking lot and at the Masonic Lodge.

More parking information is available on the city of Fairfield's Web site.


Back To Top