Topeka Capital-Journal, The: Jeffrey Garcia

Witness: Russian roulette played

Man to be tried in deadly shooting at Melvern bonfire

LYNDON --- While gathered at a bonfire, Jeffrey Garcia snatched a revolver from the hands of a Melvern woman, suggested they play Russian roulette and shot 19-year-old Lance Holloway through the head, the woman testified Wednesday in Osage County District Court.

Holloway's family members and friends soundlessly cried and embraced as graphic photographs of the victim were projected onto a courtroom wall. Garcia didn't look at the photos, which included close-ups of Holloway's wounds.

Osage County District Magistrate Jon Stephen Jones ordered Garcia, 24, of Garnett, bound over for trial on a charge of reckless second-degree murder. Garcia will be arraigned Tuesday, when a trial date will be scheduled.

Erin Brannan testified that when a Melvern bar closed in the early morning hours of April 10, about eight people, including Garcia and Holloway, went to her mobile home to hang out at a bonfire.

When Holloway, a close friend, showed her a 12-gauge shotgun, she retrieved a .357-caliber Magnum pistol from her night stand to show him. Brannan said that as she walked outside, she emptied bullets from the pistol, which resembles a Colt .45-caliber Peacemaker revolver.

Holloway looked at the revolver as she held it, then Garcia grabbed it, saying: "Let me see it. Let's play Russian roulette," Brannan testified.

"No, that's not funny," Brannan testified she told Garcia. Someone called her name, and she looked away, heard a gunshot and saw Holloway fall down, Brannan said.

The bullet entered Holloway's head above his left ear and exited behind his right ear, Osage County sheriff's Investigator Ted Craig testified. Craig said he found a spent shell in the blue-steel pistol.

Osage County sheriff's Investigator Jason Cameron testified Garcia said during an interview that he had twice "dry-fired" the pistol, meaning he cocked it and pulled the trigger, which landed on empty cylinders. Garcia told him that on one of the two occasions, he placed the pistol to his own head and pulled the trigger, Cameron testified.

Garcia "cocked it a third time, placed it against Mr. Holloway's head, pulled the trigger and it went off," Cameron testified.

The investigator also testified that Garcia said Brannan told him the revolver was unloaded, and that Brannan said Garcia had cocked the pistol and released the hammer without dry-firing it.

Steve Fry can be reached at (785) 295-1206 or steve.fry@cjonline.com.

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Witness: Details vary in interviews