In the spring of 2022, a burst of violence at a Goshen, Indiana convenience store cut short the life of Santino Garcia, a 27-year-old male. On the afternoon of April 23rd, police were summoned to a 7-Eleven on Elkhart Road, where they discovered Garcia suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was rushed to a hospital in South Bend for medical attention.
Despite the efforts to save him, he succumbed to his injuries the following day, April 24, 2022.
The investigation into the shooting, led by the Elkhart County Homicide Unit and the Goshen Police Department, quickly focused on two local teenagers. Authorities identified 16-year-olds Alejandro Briano and Leonardo Chavarria as persons of interest. Upon being located and interviewed by detectives, both teenagers reportedly admitted their involvement in the shooting. They were taken into custody late on the evening of the incident and charged with murder. Both were held without bond at the Elkhart County Juvenile Detention Center pending further court proceedings. A subsequent autopsy confirmed that Garcia's death was a result of the gunshots.
In the months that followed, the legal process unfolded for the two teenage suspects. In early 2023, both Alejandro Briano and Leonardo Chavarria were found guilty of a lesser charge, reckless homicide. At their sentencing in June 2023, the victim's mother spoke, expressing a hope that the teens could be rehabilitated and steered away from a life involving gangs. Both Chavarria and Briano were sentenced to serve five years in the Indiana Department of Corrections for their roles in the death of Santino Garcia. Garcia was remembered as a beloved father of three, a cherished son, brother, and a friend to many.
