A Denver man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the assault and strangulation of his girlfriend.
Thomas Garcia, 41, was sentenced on March 17 after the body of Karen Morales, 38, was found in a residence on the 2500 block of South University Boulevard, according to the Denver District Attorney’s Office.
On January 23, 2020, Garcia called 911 to report that Morales was not breathing after “they fought,” according to a press release from the district attorney’s office.
Rescuers found Morales, deceased, lying on a mattress with a ligature mark on her neck, prosecutors said. She had bruises on her face and a laceration on her forehead. A belt was under his neck and tangled in his hair. Physical evidence indicated that she was probably long dead.
On Jan. 17, a jury found Garcia guilty of attempted murder, first-degree assault – strangulation and second-degree assault, all felonies, the statement said. An initial charge of first-degree murder was dropped after the Denver medical examiner’s office was unable to determine the cause of death.
At the time of the incident, Garcia was on probation for another domestic violence case involving another female victim, the statement said. In the Morales case, prosecutors asked the court for a 67-year sentence based on the assault and strangulation, as well as the defendant’s criminal record – seven domestic violence convictions involving seven different female victims.
“Given the facts of the violent assault and strangulation of Karen Morales by Thomas Garcia, his long history of assaulting women as well as the fact that he was on probation for a prior domestic violence offense at the time of this offense, we believed that a 67-year-old sentence would serve not only to punish the behavior of Thomas Garcia, but also to ensure the safety of the community,” Assistant District Attorney Maggie Conboy said in the statement.
Garcia was sentenced by Denver District Court Judge Michael Spear.
“Karen Morales was much more than a victim of domestic violence,” her niece, Christine Casados, said in the statement. “Despite the fact that his killer will be a free man in about 10-15 years, our family will continue to honor his memory as it was; a beautiful, energetic woman who was actively moving towards her goal of being the best version of herself, with a loving heart.
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