Third suspect in Garcia slaying case still at large

By Audrey Wong | DAILY REPUBLIC | September 14, 2008 20:04

FAIRFIELD - A third suspect in the slaying of City Councilman Matt Garcia remained at large Sunday but police plan to examine a vehicle they believe is involved in the case, Lt. Bob Bunting said.

'We have possession of it and we will process it for possible evidence,' Bunting said.

Police found the gray Dodge 1993 Intrepid in Berkeley Saturday night, hours after they arrested a Suisun City man and pregnant Fairfield woman in connection with the fatal Labor Day shooting.

Investigators continued working with other police agencies Sunday to search for Henry Don Williams, 32, of Fairfield. Bunting would not say if the Intrepid belongs to Williams or if anybody was in the car when it was recovered.

Bunting also did not answer questions about where suspects Gene Allen Combs, 45, and Nicole Stewart, 33, were arrested early Saturday. The arrest report for Combs listed he was arrested at 1000 Webster Street, the location for the Fairfield police department. Police apprehended Stewart in the 300 block of East Tabor Avenue, according to her arrest report.

According to the reports, Combs admitted to traveling to the 5000 block of Silverado Drive to collect on a narcotics debt. Stewart drove Combs and another passenger to the Cordelia Villages street. Garcia was visiting a friend in that area. The other passenger exited the vehicle and shot at Garcia, striking him once in the head. Garcia was declared brain dead the following day.

Stewart said in a Saturday television interview that Williams was the one who exited the vehicle and fired the gun. The three didn't know it was Garcia who was shot, Stewart told Rowena Shaddox, a reporter for FOX 40 TV in Sacramento and former Daily Republic employee.

Combs and Stewart face charges of murder, conspiracy and use of a firearm and are at Solano County Jail with no bail. They are scheduled for arraignment at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Solano County Superior Court.

Williams is black, 5 feet 9 inches and 180 pounds. He also goes by the name 'Cali' or 'Collie.' Police described him as armed and dangerous.

Anyone with information can call police at 428-7300 or Solano County Crime Stoppers at 644-STOP.

Reach Audrey Wong at 427-6951 or awong@dailyrepublic.net.