Man found dead in shallow grave was in love triangle with murder suspects, CA cops say
Months after a man was found dead in a shallow grave, a woman in a love triangle with the man has been identified as suspect, leading to a third arrest in the case, California police say.
Gisela Bowers, 42, was arrested March 13 in the death of 43-year-old James Garcia, the San Diego Police Department said in a March 18 news release.
Last July, a tip led detectives to search for a body buried in the canyons outside Balboa Park, police said.
Detectives and San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office officials found a dead man in “a shallow makeshift grave in the canyon hillside” beside State Route 163, police said.
Based on its state of composition, police said the body had likely been buried for several weeks.
The medical examiner determined the man, identified as Garcia, died from gunshot wounds and ruled his death a homicide, police said.
After an investigation, police said they arrested Jeffrey Jones, 41, as a primary suspect and Brandon Winegarden, 28, as an accessory to the killing in September.
Months later, detectives also arrested Bowers in relation to Garcia’s death, police said. She was booked into jail on a first-degree murder charge, jail records show.
Bowers was dating both Garcia and Jones, according to police.
Winegarden is expected to be released in September, jail records show.
Bowers, who is being held without bail, is scheduled to appear in court April 29, per jail records.
Jones is being held without bail on a first-degree murder charge and is scheduled to appear in court April 3, jail records show.
This story was originally published March 19, 2025 at 12:20 PM with the headline "Man found dead in shallow grave was in love triangle with murder suspects, CA cops say."
