Joseph Ashley Garcia, 44, was sentenced last week to life in prison without the possibility of parole for murdering his father by dousing him with tiki torch oil and setting him on fire while the 68-year-old sat holding his dog on his lap.
Background
The attack occurred in June 2022 in Lompoc, California, when Joseph Ashley Garcia allegedly poured between 3 and 4 ounces of tiki torch oil—or acetone—onto his father's head before igniting it. The victim, Joseph Michael Garcia, suffered severe burns across 35% of his body and died from septic shock 10 days later.
According to court testimony reported by Noozhawk, the younger Garcia admitted during his April trial that he was only trying to set his father's hair on fire—a claim prosecutors challenged. Senior Deputy District Attorney Madison Whitmore questioned why Garcia didn't accomplish only what he claimed to intend.
"You didn't do what you needed to do to only burn his hair, right?" Whitmore asked. "I guess I'd agree with that," Garcia responded.
Prosecutors said the defendant accused his father of having an affair with his spouse before the attack. Methamphetamine use was allegedly a contributing factor in the incident. Court documents reveal that after being arrested, Garcia told investigators: "I just had it with him. I was sick of his s—."
"You brought this on yourself," Garcia reportedly admitted telling his father on the night of the attack.
The Conviction and Sentencing
A jury found Joseph Ashley Garcia guilty on April 13 of murder, cruelty to animals, and four sentencing enhancements—including torture—for the death of his father. He appeared in Santa Maria Superior Court last week for sentencing.
According to the Santa Barbara Independent, Garcia remained expressionless during victim impact statements and while the court played video of his father. He reportedly spoke only to his attorney throughout the proceedings.
Santa Barbara District Attorney John Savrroch called the case "one of the most disturbing" his office has prosecuted. "This verdict reflects exactly what justice looks like for one of the most disturbing cases our office has prosecuted," Savrroch said in a statement after the conviction. "The jury heard the evidence and held this defendant fully accountable. A finding of first-degree murder with the torture special circumstance sends an unambiguous message that this community will not tolerate acts of extreme cruelty."
Prosecutors alleged Garcia was "more concerned" about himself than his father after setting him ablaze, noting he didn't yell or call for help during the incident. When confronted with this on the stand, Garcia reportedly responded: "I suppose so."
Key Takeaways
- Joseph Michael Garcia, 68, died from septic shock 10 days after being set on fire while holding his terrier Charlie on his lap
- His son, Joseph Ashley Garcia, was sentenced to life without parole and convicted of first-degree murder with a torture special circumstance
- The attack reportedly stemmed from accusations that the father had an affair with the defendant's spouse
- Methamphetamine use was allegedly a factor in the killing
- The victim lived nearly his entire life in Lompoc, where his son was known as a cannabis advocate
What's Next
Garcia will serve his sentence at a California state prison. No further court proceedings are expected in this case, which prosecutors described as concluded with the sentencing.
An obituary for Joseph Michael Garcia says he "enjoyed" taking Charlie the terrier to the beach.