Attorney General James’ Office of Special Investigation Releases Report on Deaths of Mario, Maria, and Magdalena Garcia

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James’ Office of Special Investigation (OSI) today released its report on the deaths of Port Authority Police Department (PAPD) Officer Mario Garcia and his sister and mother, Maria and Magdalena Garcia in the Bronx. Mario and Maria died on January 22, 2026, and Magdalena died on February 16, 2026 following injuries sustained on January 22. After a thorough investigation, which included review of body-worn camera footage and NYPD Crime Scene Unit reports and photographs, ballistics analysis, and comprehensive legal analysis, OSI determined that Officer Garcia was solely responsible for his death and the deaths of Maria and Magdalena.

At 8 a.m. on January 22, a New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer arrived at an apartment in the Bronx in response to a 911 call reporting that a man shot himself on the first floor of the building. The officer was directed to a hallway, where she encountered Officer Garcia, who was leaning against the wall next to an apartment door, unconscious and bleeding heavily from a visible gunshot wound to the head. At 8:03 a.m., additional NYPD officers arrived and entered the apartment. In the apartment, officers found Maria in a bedroom and Magdalena in the living room, seated on a daybed, bleeding from a gunshot wound. Maria was declared dead at the scene. Magdalena was transported to a local hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries on February 16, 2026. Responding officers and paramedics attempted to provide aid to Officer Garcia. Officer Garcia was declared dead on the scene at 8:06 a.m. Officers recovered two firearms at the scene.

The medical examiner’s analysis determined that Maria died from a gunshot wound to her head, and Magdalena died from complications related to a gunshot wound to her face. Both deaths were deemed homicides. The medical examiner’s analysis also determined that Officer Garcia died from gunshot wounds to the head and deemed the manner of death to be suicide. Microscopic analysis found that the shell casings recovered near Maria and Magdalena and the bullet in Officer Garcia’s head were all fired from Officer Garcia’s gun.

A full review of the evidence supports the conclusion that Officer Garcia was responsible for his death, and the deaths of Maria and Magdalena. The OSI uncovered no evidence indicating that any other person was involved in the deaths. Therefore, there is no basis for which OSI could seek charges against any living person in this case.

Executive Law Section 70-b directs OSI to investigate and, if warranted, prosecute offenses arising from any incident in which the death of a person is caused by a police officer, whether on or off duty. When OSI does not or, as in this case, cannot seek charges against the officer, Section 70-b requires OSI to issue a public report describing its investigation.