Text messages hint at sexual, possibly abusive, relationship between Garcia and alleged victim

Text messages presented in court hinted at sexual, and possibly abusive relationship, between Adrian Garcia and the 15-year-old girl he’s accused of strangling.

Prosecutors say Adrian Garcia strangled his 15-year-old girlfriend, Alejandra Arango, because he was angry she broke up with him. The girl’s mother found the body in a bathtub inside their San Elizario home August 5, 2013.

Investigators say Garcia staged the scene inside the bathroom to make it look like the victim had fallen asleep in the bathtub and drowned.

Wednesday, retired El Paso County Sheriff’s Detective, Antonio Arias, presented hundreds of text messages exchanged by Garcia and Arango.

One particular exchange began with Garcia asking for Arango’s forgiveness. She replied, “Adrian, I just don’t think we should be together no more.”

Garcia then sent her the following message, “don’t be that way babe. I’m changing.” Arango replied, ‘I know you are. I know how you’re trying real hard. I can notice, but I just don’t want to.”

When Garcia asked Arango to tell him the truth about why she was leaving him, Arango replied, “I told you because I lost feelings for you.”

Other text messages shown in court implied Garcia and Arango were engaged in a sexual relationship.

Another exchange hinted at a possible abusive relationship.

“I told my mom you hit and choked me,” Arango said, “Everyone is going to know you hit me.”

“I didn’t hit you, but okay, whatever you say,” Garcia replied.

According to a complaint affidavit obtained by ABC-7 in 2013, Garcia allegedly told investigators he went to his girlfriend’s home to ask her why she didn’t want to be with him.

Arango reportedly told him she had found someone else. Garcia said he left his ex-girlfriend “alive and crying.” When he was leaving, he allegedly told the girl “karma would catch up with her.”

Jurors Wednesday were also shown a recording of sheriff’s detectives interviewing Garcia. In it, Garcia said he visited Aragon hours before she was found dead. Garcia told detectives he was restless and wanted a chance to save his relationship with Aragon.

There is a 10 minute sequence where the detectives and Garcia get testy. “I didn’t do anything. Why would I hurt someone I love?” Garcia said as he pleaded his case.

The detective replied, “I don’t believe you did it on purpose.”