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Killer of Softball-Loving Williamsburg Dad Arrested in North Carolina: NYPD

By Gwynne Hogan | July 28, 2016 5:43pm
 Sadan Garcia died of a gunshot wound to the chest in June. 
Sadan Garcia
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WILLIAMSBURG — An in-law of a murdered softball-loving father of two who relatives blamed for his death, was arrested in North Carolina Wednesday, police said.

Jason Cruz, cousin of the deceased Sadan Garcia's wife, managed to evade police for nearly two months since the fatal shooting on June 4.

This week, police managed to track him down in North Carolina, according to Captain William Gardner, head of Williamsburg's Precinct. Prosecutors charged him with murder and he's due in court on Thursday, court records show.

Information about any prior arrests, wasn't available immediately. 

Garcia's brother Freddy Garcia, and another relative, who were with him the night of his death, fingered Cruz as the killer, the brother said.

Detectives had contacted Freddy and his mother Wednesday evening with the news that they'd finally caught Cruz, he said.

And after nearly two months of coming to grips with 24-year-old Sadan's death, the arrest has brought the family a modicum of comfort, his brother said.

"My mom wants justice to be served," Freddy said, adding, "justice would be him serving the amount of time that this court system gives him."

On June 4, Freddy and Sadan had gotten into an argument with Cruz, according to his account of events.

Cruz owed Freddy money, and they argued and threw punches, but the brothers soon backed away from the fight and drove away in their SUV, he said.

Little did they know that Cruz was following them around the neighborhood on foot, and a few minutes later, just before 6 a.m., the man fired shots into the car near the intersection of South 9th and Berry streets, striking Garcia in the chest, according to police and Freddy.

Freddy rushed his brother to Woodhull Hospital within 10 minutes, but the 25-year-old couldn't be saved, according to police.

"Time heals the mind but never the heart," said Freddy, who lives in the same South 4th Street building as his brother's widow and his two young sons.

"We try to take care of the boys, give her some time by herself," he said, referring to Sadan's wife, who'd been with Sadan for seven years before his death. "One day she's ok, the next day she catches anxiety real quick."

Since Sadan's death, Freddy has tried to focus on being a stand-in father for his two young nephews and on making music. He sings salsa tunes, a passion of his that Sadan had always encouraged.

"Nothing can bring my brother back," he said. "So we just gotta make him proud."