On December 20, 2018, in a rural area of Walsenburg, Colorado, 41-year-old Amy Garcia, a single mother of four, was killed. The events leading to her death began to unfold at the residence of her boyfriend, Heith Gleason. An argument erupted between Garcia and Gleason, reportedly over Gleason's belief that Garcia was flirting with a witness who was also present.
This escalated to the point where Gleason made threats to kill her.
While Garcia was in her car, Gleason emerged from his house with what was described as an assault-type rifle and fired at her. Following this, Gleason's 12-year-old son, Gage Gleason, was also involved in the shooting. A witness reported hearing Gleason tell his son that he had 'earned his man card' after more shots were fired. After the shooting, Amy Garcia's car was set on fire with her inside. The vehicle was found burned beyond recognition with bullet holes in the driver's side door.
Heith Gleason and his son, Gage, fled the scene after the murder, armed with multiple weapons. Investigators were able to track them using cell phone pings, which led them from Trinidad, Colorado, to Santa Fe, New Mexico. The father and son were arrested at a McDonald's in Santa Fe on December 21, 2018. Both were initially charged with first-degree murder.
Heith Gleason later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 42 years in prison, with five years of parole. In a statement read by his attorney, he expressed remorse to Garcia's family and claimed his son had no involvement in the killing. Gage Gleason, who was booked into a youth development program after his arrest, also pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. He was sentenced to five years in the Colorado Department of Youth Corrections, with credit for time already served, and will be on parole until he is 21.
