Teens plead in stabbing of sleeping rival

by F.T. Norton

Appeal Staff Writer

Two Carson City teens accused of stabbing a sleeping rival pleaded guilty to lesser charges on Tuesday morning.

Adrian Garcia, 14, and Francisco Monroy, 15, entered the guilty pleas before Judge Todd Russell. Charges of attempted murder, battery with a deadly weapon and burglary with a deadly weapon will be dismissed.

"We felt like probation was where these two were going to go at ages 14 and 15. So we've at least agreed upon a one year jail sentence which will make them realize the consequences of their actions," said District Attorney Neil Rombardo. "Plus we'll ask for five years probation on top of that with a four-to-10-year suspended sentence. We are going to ask for revocation with any probation violation. The slightest slip up and they're gone."

The two will be sentenced March 25.

According to police reports, Garcia and Monroy entered an unlocked door at the Hawaii Circle home of a 15-year-old from a rival gang and stabbed the teen repeatedly as he slept on the couch about 5:15 a.m.

The teen woke during the attack, and fought back, chasing the two boys to his front porch before he realized he'd been stabbed, said Detective Dave Legros.

The boy woke his mother who drove him to the hospital, where he was treated and released for seven stab wounds from pocket and kitchen knives that were later recovered. Legros credited the boy's survival to a heavy blanket he was using when he slept.

Officers followed footprints in the snow to a neighboring home, where they contacted a female friend of the boys. She denied knowing anything about the incident, but while being questioned by an investigator, Garcia and Monroy were discovered hiding under her bed, said Legros.

The female was arrested on suspicion of principal to attempted murder, obstruction and a probation violation, she was subsequently sentenced by a juvenile court to time in a juvenile detention facility.

• Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.