Crime & Safety

Final Autopsy Report Declares Vicki Garcia's Death An Accident

Alcohol and prescription drugs may have contributed to her falling down stairs.

The County of San Diego Office of the Medical Examiner declared the death of Vicki Garcia an accident when final results were released Thursday.

On Sept. 7 just before 3:30 p.m., Kenny Garcia said he came home to find his wife unconscious at the bottom of a flight of stairs in the couple's two-story town home on Ocean Lane.

The official cause of death was blunt impact injuries to the head after falling down the stairs. 

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The Imperial Beach Fire Department and an AMR ambulance responded, but the 57-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 4 p.m.

"The decadent had a history of alcohol abuse and had apparently consumed a large quantity of ethyl alcohol in the 24 hours prior to her death," a summary of the report said. 

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The day before it is believed she purchased a bottle of rum and consumed half of it.

Her blood alcohol level was 0.18 percent at the time of her death. Traces of several prescription drugs were also found in her blood including Oxycodone.

After deputies learned the two had a history of domestic violence, the San Diego County Sheriff's Homicide unit was called to the scene.

"Mr. Garcia is a former Sheriff’s Deputy who has a history of domestic violence with the decedent," the report said. "Neighbors reported hearing the Garcias arguing all the time and often overheard Mr. Garcia making degrading statements about the decedent."

A homicide detective spoke with Kenny Garcia who said the last time he saw her conscious was at 6 a.m. when he left for work. Neighbors last reported seeing her around the morning of Sept. 7.


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