'You brought this on yourself': Son poured tiki torch oil on his dad's head and set him ablaze while the 68-year-old was holding his dog on lap

A California antheral poured tiki torch lipid connected his father's caput and acceptable him ablaze portion the 68-year-old was holding his canine connected his lap, starring to terrible burns connected 35% of his assemblage and the dad's death. The lad was recovered blameworthy past week of first-degree murder.

"You brought this connected yourself," Joseph Ashley Garcia, 43, admitted telling his father, Joseph Michael Garcia, connected the nighttime helium attacked him, according to grounds helium provided during his proceedings earlier this month, per the Santa Barbara quality outlet Noozhawk.

Joe A. Garcia was recovered blameworthy connected April 13 of murder, cruelty to animals and 4 sentencing enhancements, including torture, for the decease of his begetter successful June 2022. Joe M. Garcia died from septic daze 10 days aft helium was acceptable connected fire.

Joe A. Garcia admitted successful tribunal to pouring betwixt 3 and 4 ounces of tiki torch oil, oregon acetone, from a vessel onto his dad's head. He alleged that helium was lone trying to acceptable Joe M. Garcia's hairsbreadth connected fire, a assertion prosecutors reportedly pushed backmost on.

"You didn't bash what you needed to bash to lone pain his hair, right?" Senior Deputy District Attorney Madison Whitmore asked Garcia portion helium was connected the stand. "I conjecture I'd agree with that," Garcia said, according to Noozhawk.

According to Whitmore, Joe A. Garcia was "more concerned" astir himself than his begetter aft mounting him ablaze. "I accidental so," Garcia confessed, admitting helium didn't outcry oregon telephone for assistance during the incident.

Prosecutors said Joe A. Garcia had accused his begetter of having an matter with his spouse earlier the attack. Methamphetamine usage was said to beryllium a contributing factor.

Joe M. Garcia was holding his terrier, Charlie, connected his thigh erstwhile Joe A. Garcia acceptable him connected fire, according to section officials.

An obituary for Joe M. Garcia says helium lived astir his full beingness successful Lompoc — wherever his lad was a cannabis advocator — and "enjoyed" taking Charlie to the beach.

Joe A. Garcia pleaded not blameworthy by crushed of insanity, with the aforesaid assemblage who convicted him deeming him legally sane connected Tuesday earlier his sentencing.

Prosecutors called the lawsuit "one of the astir disturbing" they person ever dealt with.

"This verdict reflects precisely what justness looks similar for 1 of the astir disturbing cases our bureau has prosecuted," said Santa Barbara District Attorney John Savrnoch successful a statement. "The assemblage heard the grounds and held this suspect afloat accountable. A uncovering of first-degree execution with the torture peculiar condition sends an unambiguous connection that this assemblage volition not tolerate acts of utmost cruelty."

Joe A. Garcia is scheduled to beryllium sentenced successful Santa Maria Superior Court connected June 6.