Whidbey News-Times, October 22, 2014

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News-Times Whidbey

Special section inside

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014 | Vol. 124, No. 85 | WWW.WHIDBEYNEWSTIMES.COM | 75¢

Family mourning death of son, father Suspect in Adam Garcia’s fatal shooting arrested

Shooting victim Adam Garcia is shown holding his daughter.

$77 million co. budget approved Law & justice funding up By JANIS REID Staff reporter

Despite lingering concerns about overspending, Island County commissioners adopted a 2015 budget Monday. The $77 million budget makes major investments in law and justice, staffing throughout the county and information technology. Approximately $513,000 in one-time funds and nearly $600,000 in ongoing funding was added through supplemental budget requests from department heads. SEE BUDGET, A14

Photo by Jessie Stensland/Whidbey News-Times

Adam Garcia’s family members gather to share stories about him Monday night. From left are Rebecca White, Rachel Arroyo, his mother, Bettie Sifuentes, and his grandmother, Chris Baker. Garcia was shot and killed in Oak Harbor over the weekend.

‘We will get justice. We will get answers’

By JESSIE STENSLAND Staff reporter

Chris Baker’s home in Rolling Hills was filled with both tears and laughter Monday night. Family and friends sat round the dining table and shared memories of Baker’s grandson, Adam Garcia. The 21-year-old Oak Harbor man was killed in a shooting early Saturday morning in the city. Garcia was remembered as a loyal son and friend. A peacemaker and protector. A trickster.

His mother, Bettie Sifuentes, said her son’s true character was most evident when he was with his beloved daughter, 5-year-old Sophia. “You could just see the love on his face when he looks at her,” she said. “It was so genuine.” A team of law enforcement officials took the shooting suspect, Christopher Malaga, 23, into custody in Bellingham at 12:47 p.m. Tuesday. Malaga’s being held in Island County jail on a $1-million arrest warrant. The Island County prosecutor charged SEE GARCIA, PAGE A14

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Memorial for Garcia n A visitation for Adam Garcia is 6-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24 at Whidbey Memorial Chapel. Service is 6 p.m. Saturday at the Church of the Nazarene in Oak Harbor. A viewing will be held an hour beforehand. A fund is created at Wells Fargo Bank in his name to help with funeral expenses. A fundraiser to help his daughter is planned at Oak Bowl, but details haven’t yet been firmed.

Deception Pass area searched for Seattle man By JESSIE STENSLAND Staff reporter

Dog teams searched the trails at Deception Pass Tuesday for a missing Microsoft employee, according to the Island County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff’s Detective Ed Wallace said a car belonging to Krishna Venkatesh, a 27-yearold Seattle resident, was found parked at Deception Pass Bridge. Venkatesh is a Microsoft Windows program manager. He was reportedly last seen on the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 15 at the Microsoft campus in Redmond. He lives in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, according to a GeekWire article. SEE MISSING. PAGE A14

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