By Janet Perez
Mail | X: @AzNewsmedia

A Pinal County grand jury has indicted a suspect in the shooting death of San Tan Valley teen and Combs High School student Jamiere Jenkins.

Anthony Jason Garcia, 17, has been charged with second-degree murder, the  Office of Pinal County Attorney Kent Volkmer announced in a statement today.

On Nov. 28, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting in San Tan Valley that resulted in the 17-year-old Jenkins’ death.

The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office conducted a criminal investigation and forwarded a submittal of charges to the Pinal County Attorney’s Office. Upon reviewing all of the evidence, PCAO convened a grand jury, which returned the indictment against Garcia, the release stated.

This case is taking place in adult court and PCSO reported that Garcia has now been moved into the Pinal County Jail after initially being booked into the Pinal County Youth Justice Center.

“We have seen far too many young lives impacted and cut short due to youth violence,” stated County Attorney Kent Volkmer in the release. “Our thoughts and prayers are with those impacted, and it is my sincere hope that our youth begin to appreciate and recognize the inherent value in every human life.”

A J.O. Combs Unified School District official told the Independent on Friday that Garcia was a student at Combs High but has not attended since last year. The official added that Garcia was withdrawn from Combs over the summer.

Jenkins was shot in the Cambria neighborhood of San Tan Valley. Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb said in a Facebook video at the time of the killing that Jenkins and the suspect were arguing when the suspect allegedly pulled out a gun and fired one round that hit Jenkins in the neck.

PCSO arrested Garcia the following day.

Janet Perez
News Editor | Queen Creek & San Tan Valley

jperez@iniusa.org

Meet Janet
Janet Perez joined Independent Newsmedia as editor of the Queen Creek Independent and Florence Independent in 2020. She started her career in 1989 with the Gannett-owned El Paso Times. In 1992, she moved to Tempe and has worked in newspapers, magazines, radio and television. She left Arizona for three years to work at New Mexico State University and Baylor University before returning to work at Arizona State  University. Missing the business, she went back to journalism in 2017.

Community: A long-time pet owner, she supports animal welfare causes.

Education: University of Texas at El Paso with a BA in journalism and a minor in political science. 

Random Fact: She had a head full of random facts.  

Hobbies: Reading, watching documentaries, cooking and playing with her dogs.