Daughter accused of planning to kill mother, set fire to home

ROCK HILL, S.C. — A woman is accused of shooting her mother and planning to burn down a Rock Hill apartment to cover up the crime.

Patricia Garcia, 43, is charged with attempted murder.

Officers were called around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday to the apartment complex on Iredell Street.

Neighbor Lantz Weaver was watching TV when she knew something was wrong.

“I heard this big thud, and I didn’t think much of it. Then, 15 minutes later, police were here. One of them comes knocking on my door. He says, ‘We need you to vacate the area, we have a possible suspect out,’” Weaver said.

The SWAT team was called when officers said Garcia refused to answer the door. They managed to negotiate with her, and didn’t have to force entry into the home.

A police report said officers found Garcia’s mother bleeding from the top of her head. She was conscious and spoke with officers, telling them she and her daughter were the only ones inside the apartment.

Officers said they found a gun in a box and a spent shell casing on a table.

Police also spotted two full gas cans in a bedroom and a receipt showing they were bought about 90 minutes before the shooting. Investigators believe Garcia was planning to kill her mother and then commit arson.

The arrest warrant obtained by Channel 9 said Garcia shot her mother in the head from behind.

Neighbors had no idea about the gas cans and wondered what could have happened if the whole place had been set on fire. Dozens of people live in the two-story building.

“I can’t even imagine that,” resident Joseph Horacek said. “That’s terrifying.”

Neighbors said they didn’t hear any arguing or the gunshot.

The victim told police she had no idea there was a gun in her apartment, or that gas cans were in the bedroom. She is expected to recover from the shooting.

A judge denied bond Wednesday morning for Garcia.

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