- Body of Karen Garcia, 21, was found in her car in Woodland, California on Sunday
- Police named her ex-boyfriend Salvador Garcia Jr as the suspect in her murder
- She went missing January 9, two days after her younger sister died in a car crash
- Family initially believed her disappearance was linked to her struggling with her sister’s death
- Police said they found evidence of murder when they searched her home
- Karen and Salvador, who had a two-year-old daughter, broke up this year
The body of a murdered California woman has been found dumped in her car just days after her younger sister was killed in an unrelated wrong way crash.
Karen Garcia’s body was found in her car in a Marshall’s parking lot in Woodland on Sunday afternoon as police named her ex-boyfriend as the prime suspect in her murder.
The 21-year-old had been reported missing on January 9 – two days after her 19-year-old sister Jessica died in a car crash on her way home from Denny’s with a group of friends.
Karen Garcia’s body was found in her car in a Marshall’s parking lot in Woodland on Sunday afternoon as police named her ex-boyfriend as the prime suspect in her murder
The body of Karen Garcia, 21, was found dumped in a car in Woodland, California on Sunday. Her ex-boyfriend Salvador Garcia Jr, who she shares a daughter with, has been named as a suspect (they are all pictured above)
Family had initially believed the mother-of-one’s disappearance was related to the recent death of her sister, saying the tragic news was ‘probably just so hard for her’.
But when police searched her home where she had last been seen, they found evidence that she had been killed.
Police named Garcia’s ex-boyfriend Salvador Garcia Jr as a suspect on Monday.
The victim’s ex-boyfriend spoke to media last week when she disappeared, saying they had known each other since they were in third grade and had dated for nine years before they mutually ended their relationship this year.
They have a two-year-old daughter named Ariana together and Garcia Jr. said the couple had remained friends for the sake of the toddler.
Police named Garcia’s ex-boyfriend Salvador Garcia Jr as a suspect on Monday. Last week, he told media they had dated for nine years but separated this year. He said they remained friends for the sake of their daughter
Family had initially believed the mother-of-one’s disappearance was related to the recent death of her sister, saying the tragic news was ‘probably just so hard for her’
Karen Garcia’s body was found in her car (pictured above) in a Marshall’s parking lot in Woodland on Sunday afternoon
He told the Sacramento Bee that Karen was ‘the sweetest person you’ll ever meet’ and a great mother.
The Garcia family are still reeling from the death of 19-year-old Jessica Garcia (pictured) who died in a car crash on her way home from Denny’s with a group of friends on January 7
‘She loves her family,’ he said. ‘She’s one of the most upbeat people you’ll ever meet.’
‘I’ve never had to go through anything like this, I don’t know how to react to it,’ he said prior to being named a suspect.
‘Everyone’s been telling me to stay strong for my daughter.’
The Garcia family had still been struggling with the death of Jessica when they learned of Karen’s death at the weekend.
Jessica was one of six people killed when a female driver entered an off ramp to head the wrong way down Interstate 5 on January 9.
The crash is not in anyway related to the murder case involving Karen Garcia.
Authorities said anyone with information on the whereabouts of Salvador Garcia is encouraged to contact the Colusa Police Department.
The fiery crash in which Jessica Garcia and four of her friends were killed took place after a Chevy crashed into them going the wrong way on Interstate 5