Juan Carlos Garcia, the former CEO of Amazon Mexico, is suspected in the murder of his estranged wife, Abril Pérez Sagaón. She was shot in Mexico City on November 25, 2019. She was headed to the airport at the time of the shooting. Two of the children she shares with Garcia were also in the vehicle, as well as her lawyer.
Sagaón and Garcia had been going through a divorce. Back in January, she accused Garcia of beating her with a baseball bat. He was arrested and detained for 10 months on a charge of attempted murder before a judge downgraded the case to domestic violence.
According to Mexican news outlet El Pais, Garcia is considered a suspect in Sagaón’s murder and is wanted for questioning.
Here’s what you need to know.
1. Report: Abril Pérez Sagaón Was Shot In The Head & Neck By a Motorcyclist On the Way to the Airport
Abril Pérez Sagaón
Abril Pérez Sagaón was ambushed while attempting to leave Mexico City on November 25, 2019, according to local media. El Pais reported that Sagaón was headed to the airport following a court proceeding related to her and Juan Carlos Garcia’s divorce. Their two teenage children were in the backseat. Her lawyer was driving.
As they were driving through the Coyoacán neighborhood, someone on a motorcycle pulled a gun and shot at the vehicle. Sagaón was shot in the head and neck. She was rushed to a hospital but died soon after. The lawyer and the children were not injured.
2. Juan Carlos Garcia Was Arrested & Detained After Sagaón Accused Him of Attacking Her With a Baseball Bat In January 2019
La @PGJDF_CDMX interpuso una queja en el Consejo de la Judicatura sobre la actuación de los dos jueces y el magistrado que derivó en la reclasificación del delito #justiciaparaabril
Juan Carlos Garcia had been ordered to stay away from Abril Pérez Sagaón following a violent confrontation in January of 2019. Sagaón accused her husband of attempted murder after she says he attacked her with a baseball bat while she was sleeping. Garcia was also accused of attempting to stab her.
According to El Pais, one of their teenage sons witnessed what happened and later testified in defense of his mother. En24 News also reported that the teenager and neighbors helped Sagaón to escape from the attack, though she reportedly suffered a skull fracture.
Garcia was charged with attempted femicide and placed behind bars in pretrial detention. In the aftermath, Sagaón filed for divorce and requested custody of their children.
3. Juan Carlos Garcia Was Released From Custody in Early November; Federal Authorities Appealed the Decision & Argued That Sagaón’s Life Was In Danger
Abril Pérez Sagaón hizo todo lo que en México hace menos de un 10% de las mujeres. Denunció que su exmarido quiso matarla. Este lunes recibió dos balazos delante de sus hijos en un coche en la capital.
After about 10 months in custody, Juan Carlos Garcia was released in early November 2019. Judge Federico Mosco González made the decision to downgrade the case from attempted murder to domestic violence.
Javier Pérez Sagaón, Abril’s brother, explained to Milenio that the judge’s argument was that the baseball bat was not a murder weapon, but a “playful instrument.” The judge also reportedly made the argument that since Abril had been asleep when the attack began, Garcia could have easily killed her had that been his intent.
Prosecutors fought against the decision, arguing that Abril Sagaón’s life was in jeopardy, according to the news outlet El CEO. Judge Mosco González ordered Garcia to stay away from his wife and his younger son. He also ordered Garcia to stay in Mexico as the case continued. The Attorney General’s Office of Mexico City has reportedly requested an investigation into the judge.
EN24 News noted in its story that Mosco González is the same judge who, back in August, made headlines after freeing a doctor who had been accused of raping a patient.
4. Sagaón’s Family Says That Juan Carlos Garcia’s Defense Team Knew She Was Going to Be in Mexico City That Day
Abril Pérez Sagaón
Abril Pérez Sagaón’s family members have told local media outlets that they believe that Juan Carlos Garcia may have arranged for a hitman to shoot and kill his estranged wife.
Sagaón had been living in Monterrey but was back in Mexico City for a court hearing on the day she died. She was participating in a psychological test that was part of the custody battle.
El Pais cited a relative of Sagaón’s, who told the news outlet they preferred not to be named, that Garcia’s legal team was aware that Sagaón would be in Mexico City that day. The relative said that “it is quite possible that [Garcia] also knew that she was in the city.
5. Juan Carlos Garcia Attended a U.S. College & Formerly Held Executive Roles With Amazon & Walmart
Juan Carlos Garcia, former CEO of Amazon Mexico
Juan Carlos Garcia is a well-known businessman in Mexico with ties to American corporations. He previously served as CEO of Amazon Mexico, from 2014 until early 2017. He wrote on his LinkedIn page that he “led the launch of Amazon Mexico (Amazon.com.mx), the most important Country launch in the 20 years of history of Amazon in terms of selection.”
Prior to working with Amazon, Garcia was associated with Walmart. He was the Vice President of e-commerce and Mexico and Central America for two years.
Garcia most recently founded a business called Decompras, according to his LinkedIn page.
He appears to have spent time in the United States as a college student. Garcia earned an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1999.
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