Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake man has been sentenced to prison for manslaughter in the gang-related home invasion and shooting that killed one man and injured his son.
Damian "Kuddy" Antonio Garcia, 19, was sentenced March 3 to one to 15 years in prison for the second-degree felony charge. Initially charged with murder, Garcia pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter in January as part of a plea agreement.
Garcia was charged alongside two others — Joshua "Panda" Nguyen, 21, and Keison "Kedders" Kuykendall, 18 — in the May 2016 death of Darrin Jackson, 46.
Jonathan Jackson, 26, answered a knock at his door, 1821 E. Hidden Meadows Drive (4915 South), at 2:30 a.m. on May 21 and several people forced their way inside as soon as he cracked the door open, according to charging documents.
Jackson called for his father, and Darrin Jackson came out of a nearby bedroom wielding a pool stick.
According a statement by Garcia filed with his guilty plea, Garcia had gone to the home "to discuss an issue regarding recent thefts."
"After I entered, I displayed a firearm and was hit with a pool stick. The firearm discharged unintentionally and killed Mr. Jackson. I was reckless in my handling and display of the firearm," Garcia wrote.
Related:
Murder suspect turns himself in hours after standoff
A West Valley man charged with murder turned himself over to police Wednesday hours after officers failed to locate him inside a Midvale home following a SWAT standoff.Darrin Jackson died after being shot in the head and chest. Jonathan Jackson was shot in the hand, police say.
The Jacksons and the three defendants were members of rival street gangs, according to the charges.
As part of his plea deal, Garcia also admitted to aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony, in an unrelated case. He was sentenced to five years to life in prison, with the term running concurrent to the manslaughter charge.
Nguyen pleaded guilty Jan. 25 to obstructing justice, a second-degree felony, while first-degree felony charges of murder and aggravated burglary were dismissed. At a sentencing hearing Monday, Nguyen was given credit for time served, placed on 36 months of probation and released.
The murder charge against Kuykendall was also dismissed. He pleaded guilty Jan. 23 to obstructing justice, reduced to a second-degree felony, and was sentenced March 6 to 36 months of probation.
