PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A Philadelphia man who gunned down his girlfriend in front of a South Philly Target last year just hours after she filed a protection from abuse against him has pleaded guilty in a negotiated deal with prosecutors.
Marques Burney stared straight ahead as the family of Sahmya Garcia spoke of her courage, positive outlook on life, and how she was stolen from their lives.
Garcia’s father tearfully told the court his daughter survived the pain and suffering of leukemia when she was eight, only to be abused, harassed and killed at age 20.
Burney, 42, admitted to killing Garcia on Nov. 8, 2022, in exchange for 35 to 70 years in prison.
Burney didn’t apologize to the court or Garcia’s family. He told the judge he suffers from anxiety and depression.
Garcia had filed a protection from abuse order against Burney about a day before she was killed and went to the 3rd Police District to have them serve him, but he wasn’t home.
Forty minutes later, prosecutors say he “hunted down” Garcia, chasing her through traffic and shooting her 10 times. He even stood over her lifeless body and continued to shoot into her at Broad and Ellsworth streets.
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SEPTA police heard the shots, saw the body, and then saw Burney running from the scene. They chased him blocks away and shot at him three times before taking him into custody.
Burney has a lengthy criminal history, including assault and harassment charges from another domestic abuse relationship, and gun and drug charges.
As Burney was escorted away to serve decades behind bars, someone from the family yelled “COWARD.”
Garcia’s father told the court he cries every day. He said the system, which included law enforcement, the courts and prosecutors, failed to protect his daughter. He wanted the case to go to trial and see Burney spend the rest of his life in prison but says the District Attorney rejected it and refused to see him.
Burney will be about 90 years old before he’s eligible to be released.
“Our hearts go out to the family of Sahmya Garcia," said a spokesperson for District Attorney Larry Krasner. "Even though this is the maximum sentence this defendant could receive for third-degree murder, there is no sentence that can restore their terrible loss.”
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