KENT COUNTY, Michigan — The Wyoming man accused of killing 33-year-old Mollie Schmidt could serve 30 years in prison if he agrees to the details of a new plea agreement.
Yenly Garcia, 44, is charged with homicide, open murder and possession of a firearm.
In court on Thursday, the Kent County Prosecutor's Office offered a deal that carries a minimum sentence of at least 28 years for the homicide charge and two years for the gun charge in exchange for a no-contest plea to second-degree murder.
The defense team is mulling over its options.
Garcia is accused of shooting and killing Schmidt in August. Schmidt was last seen at her Plainfield Township home on Aug. 21. Her friends noted this was unlike her, as Schmidt was a mother of five.
Police believed Schmidt to be with Garcia. After obtaining a search warrant, police found Schmidt's body on the floor of Garcia's bedroom in his Wyoming apartment on Aug. 30. She had died from a gunshot wound to the head.
Law enforcement said they also found a shotgun and an AR-15 rifle in a nightstand near Schmidt's body. Garcia has a previous felony conviction and is not allowed to possess firearms, prosecutors claim.
According to court documents filed against Garcia at his preliminary hearing back in January, detectives also accused him of trying to use Schmidt's credit cards after she went missing.
Garcia, a citizen of Cuba, fled to Mexico and was extradited in September and booked at the Kent County Jail.
Garcia's brother, Yovany Tellez, testified nearly three months ago that Schmidt and Garcia began dating in November 2021, and Garcia told him he was "falling for her."
The couple apparently had a falling out around Valentine's Day, and Tellez thought they had both moved on from the relationship.
The next time Tellez saw his brother was on the news in connection to Schmidt's disappearance so Tellez called and spoke with him on the phone.
"Then he says, 'Orlando,' which is my other brother, and he's like, 'You and Orlando are just trying to play detectives' and stuff like that. 'If I killed her who gives a f***, or something like that? Like, who cares,'" said Tellez.
In July 2008, Garcia was arrested for kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon. Court records reveal disturbing details, describing how a female victim was dragged into an abandoned basement and handcuffed. Duct tape was placed over her eyes and mouth.
Garcia was ultimately sentenced to a minimum of eight years in prison and was paroled in 2016.
It's unknown when Garcia will appear in court next at this time.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
