A 27-year-old man was arraigned Monday on a 10-count indictment in the death of a 62-year-old Yonkers man whose decomposing body was discovered along the side of a Westchester road by a jogger over the summer.
Joaquin Garcia faces charges of first-degree murder, robbery and other crimes in the death of Luis Blanco. An autopsy determined Blanco had been shot in the back of the head and stabbed repeatedly, apparently with a screwdriver Garcia allegedly brandished while demanding Blanco's valuables.
According to the indictment, Garcia owed Blanco money and had been scheduled to meet with him on Aug. 19, the day he went missing. Investigators say Garcia, along with another man, picked Blanco up in Garcia's Ford SUV in Yonkers. Garcia told Blanco he couldn't pay the money he owed him, and when Blanco threatened to inform Garcia's employee, Garcia attacked him, according to the indictment.
Blanco's body was discovered Aug. 24. Garcia was arrested Sept. 18. He was remanded to jail and is due in court next month. Garcia faces up to life in prison without parole if convicted.
Information on his attorney wasn't immediately available.
