Palmetto, Florida – A Parrish man has entered a plea of no contest in connection to a cold case murder from 2014, court records in Manatee County reveal. Ricardo Garcia, 31, made the plea before a scheduled murder trial, opting for lesser charges of manslaughter with a weapon.
According to Florida Statutes, manslaughter with a weapon is classified as a first-degree felony, carrying a maximum penalty of up to 30 years in prison. The case involves the shooting and tragic death of 26-year-old Javare Thomas, a Sarasota resident, at a Palmetto intersection in a drive-by incident in 2014.
It took more than a decade for authorities to make progress in the case. Garcia, accused of mistakenly targeting and killing Thomas while seeking revenge for a nightclub altercation, was finally identified as a suspect and arrested earlier this year for first-degree murder.
The incident unfolded after an altercation at The Hall nightclub, where Garcia allegedly engaged in a fight before fatally shooting Thomas at an intersection. Authorities pieced together evidence over the years, including witness descriptions of Garcia’s truck matching one pulled over by the Bradenton police in 2013.
Detectives were able to link Garcia to the crime through witness statements, surveillance footage, and a tip received in 2019. The Garcia family’s alleged attempt to cover up the shooting by replacing a damaged mirror on the truck further solidified suspicions.
Despite the passage of time, authorities persisted in their investigation, ultimately leading to Garcia’s decision to turn himself in after being charged with Thomas’ murder. A sentencing hearing for Garcia is set to take place at a later date, closing a chapter in the Palmetto cold case that had remained unsolved for years.