BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Anthony Eliff has been sentenced to 75 years after a jury found him guilty in the murder of his roommate, Guillermo Garcia, also known as Willie G. in 2020.
He was also sentenced to 20 years for possession of a firearm to run concurrently with his murder sentence.
The jury returned Tuesday for a second day of deliberations where they found Eliff guilty of murder and unlawful possession of a firearm.
The jury is now deliberating his punishment. During the short sentencing phase defense attorney said Eliff had a difficult upbringing. Prosecutors told the jury they did not have more to add to the case.
State district judge Ben Euresti allowed them to go home for the night, to return this morning.
Garcia was found dead in a car with a gunshot wound to his chest on Feb 6, 2020. Eliff is charged with killing Garcia by shooting him while Garcia sat in a car in north Harlingen.
Harlingen police investigators say the fatal killing was over a parking spot at a home on the 3300 block of Adams Landing, which is a neighborhood off North Loop 499 and 13th Street. Eliff and Garcia allegedly rented rooms from the house but had been kicked out by the homeowner before the shooting.
Eliff’s attorneys claimed he feared for his life after an altercation he had with Garcia a week prior to the shooting.
Throughout the trial, many witnesses were brought to the stand including Alex Hernandez the homeowner who rented rooms to Eliff and Guillermo Garcia and Valerie Guttierez.
Eliff is also accused in the murder of Elyn Loera from Corpus Christi in 2019. Her body was found in a shallow grave behind a San Benito home owned by a relative of Eliff. No trial date has been set in that case.
Below is a statement released by the Cameron County District Attorney Luis V. Saenz.
Eliff Sentenced to 75 Years for Murder Conviction
Tuesday afternoon, in the 107th District Court for Cameron County before Judge Ben Euresti
Jr., Defendant Anthony Eliff was found guilty by a jury, for the murder of Guillermo “Willie”
Garcia.
On February 6, 2020, Harlingen Police officers were dispatched to 3305 Adam’s Landing,
Harlingen, Texas in reference to a shooting. The responding officer observed a gray Chevrolet
Tahoe with a driver side door wide open. As the officer approached the driver side door, he
observed Guillermo Garcia slumped back in the driver seat. Guillermo was only 41 years old.
The DA’s Office was represented by Assistant District Attorneys Arturo Teniente and Avery
Benitez, Investigator Eloy Galvan and Paralegal Kristian Mendieta and CVU Advocates Ruth
Medina and Liliana Mendez. We are grateful to the Harlingen Police Department for their
investigation.
District Attorney Luis V. Saenz said “In rejecting the defendant’s claim of self-defense, the
jury correctly applied and followed the law as it pertains to self-defense. The evidence
proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Defendant Eliff was not only guilty of murder but
that he is also a continuing threat to our community.”
This is the third consecutive week that the District Attorney’s Office secures a murder
conviction. I am proud of the work my office and law enforcement do to protect Cameron
County residents.
(Joe De Leon contributed to this report)
