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OGDEN — A teenager charged with aggravated murder for shooting and killing an Ogden grocery store owner pleaded guilty on Wednesday to lesser charges as part of a plea deal.
Antonio Gianny Garcia, 16, pleaded guilty to discharge of a firearm and aggravated robbery, both first degree felonies. Both charges carry a sentence of between 5 years and life in prison. He was initially charged with aggravated murder, which carries a sentence of at least 25 years in prison.
The prosecutor explained that Garcia entered the Super Grocery in Ogden at night "with the intent to steal" he told the cashier, 65-year-old Satnam Singh, who was the store owner, that it was a robbery, and although the Singh stepped away from the register, Garcia pulled the trigger on his gun and hit Singh three times, killing him.
Garcia told detectives that he planned the robbery because he wanted more cash, and that he stopped smoking THC so that he would be sober for the robbery.
The case was originally filed in juvenile court but was moved to the Ogden 2nd District Court when Garcia was certified as an adult. Under the plea deal, Garcia will be held in the Weber Valley Detention Center until he is 21. He will then be eligible for parole or transferred to the Utah State Prison.
Garcia's sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 23.
