Murder-Suicide Note Posted on Facebook: Could Father, Son Deaths Have Been Stopped?

By: Kealan Oliver
Topics: Daily Blotter

(Facebook Photo)

LOS ANGELES (CBS/AP) Stephen Garcia clearly didn't want to live without his ex-girlfriend, Katie Tagle, or share custody of their infant son, so in an apparent murder-suicide, the angry California father killed his child, then himself. Hours later he was still telling the world just how he felt, in a suicide note on Facebook, possibly posted by a friend.

Photo: Stephen Garcia with his 9-month-old son, who were found dead in the San Bernardino Mountains.

PICTURES: Father Son Murder-Suicide Hits Facebook

"There! Now we're sleeping with you," the Facebook message read on top of a photo of Garcia and his sleeping son. "Find it in your heart to forgive me. It's my job to protect him. I know God will welcome our son with open arms."

The bodies of the 25-year-old Garcia, of Pinon Hills, Calif. and his son, Wyatt, were found early Sunday on an isolated dirt trail in the San Bernardino Mountains.

The discovery came after authorities learned that Garcia had taken the boy during a court-ordered visit and threatened to kill him and commit suicide.

Photo: Katie Tagle and Stephen Garcia, the parents of 9-month-old Wyatt Garcia.

PICTURES: Father Son Murder-Suicide Hits Facebook

Officials are looking into whether a third party was involved in posting the suicide note and collage to Garcia's Facebook page, and whether Garcia prepared the items prior to his death.

In the days before his death, Garcia posted seemingly desperate messages to his ex-girlfriend, along with pictures of him and Wyatt, and video clips of the baby at a younger age. On his MySpace page, he set his mood to "scared," and wrote the words, "one more day."

The baby's mother, Katie Tagle, filed a request last December for a restraining order in San Bernardino County Court, but it was denied on Jan. 12 because Garcia was not considered a "threat to petitioner or the minor child."

According to the Hi-Desert Star, Tagle sought restraining orders against Garcia several times, amid claims he sent her threatening messages, but was denied by at least two judges. A restraining order was granted eventually, says the paper, but another judge did not uphold it.

According to the newspaper, Tagle's mother, Maria Brown, said, "This was preventable. This didn't have to happen."

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PICTURES: Father Son Murder-Suicide Hits Facebook

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by ramanan50 January 6, 2011 11:30 PM EST: Unlike an earlier case involving a Facebook entry while her child was dying. this note is a cry for help.

What do people 'friends' column in Facebook stands for?

It is meant for Friends; not merely for flirting unidentified.

Very concept of social networking is lost by incidents like these.

People should be more Humane.

If you are a friend you would have rushed to her help,at least called her.

While at it, what about her Family?-mute spectators?; Reply to this comment

by Kaylee20101 April 3, 2010 5:52 PM EDT

Sickening how the family of the father is posting lies about Katie all over the internet. DON'T BELIEVE THE LIES! She did NOT cheat. The suicide note pretty much gave it away. He said himself that she left. The fact that she didn't come back and MOVED ON he took that as "cheating". His sick family and friends are making false email addresses and accounts on websites and telling people to contact her. Don't fall for it. There's never an excuse for murdering a baby. The family wants to turn everyone against Katie, because they don't want to blame their precious little Stephan and believe that he is a murderous psychotic monster.

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by katiesaho August 5, 2010 12:46 AM EDT: Katie is a *****. Another emotionally raped man murdered his son and himself because ***** like Katie get away with rape every god damn day. **** you. All of you are misandry loving *******. I'll bet that heartless **** doesn't even care he murdered her baby. May she live forever in pain.

by SuperJesus1111111 April 2, 2010 4:35 PM EDT

I love how they left out the fact that this woman was sending pictures of herself giving her boyfriend oral sex while the baby was right next to them to the father of the child. The child didn't deserve to die but the mother is not a victim. The child is the victim. Do not feel sorry for this woman.

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by Kaylee20101 April 3, 2010 5:49 PM EDT: You're an idiot for believing all of the bull that Stephan's family posted online. You can see it right in his suicide note. He said himself that she left him. He wanted her back, but upon finding out that she moved on he considered it "cheating". Now his family wants to blame HER for the loss so they post these lies on the internet. Even if it were true, there's never an excuse for murdering a baby. Sick freak.

They left it out because it's BULL. don't you freakin' GET it? Have you seen these photos? Nope, didn't think so. Kthanks moron.


by wilderatheart March 2, 2010 3:14 PM EST: This case should not be ignored it's not just another name we read or a number. This is a innocent baby that was caught in the middle and the legal system failed to protect him from a monstrous father. My heart goes out to Katie the mother. No parent should be left the loss of a child and be left in pain to suffer. Another case happened in Meridian, Idaho about 10 days after this happened. Same case another baby boy taken from his mother from an insane father. Baby Bekm died the same way as Wyatt and was maybe 1 month younger than Wyatt. I can't stand these fathers they belong in darkness for eternity. These babies are innocent and should be always remembered by the mothers who lost them. To Lacy and Katie. I think you both should email each other on your loss of your sons. If anyone understands what your going through it is both of you working through the pain together at the same time. I think they would be a great support system to each other to get through the loss of your sons and remember them always.; Reply to this comment


by jawbreaker101 February 5, 2010 3:06 AM EST: The father obvious committee the worst crime any human could possible make by taking the live of his innocent baby son..
there is no word I could think of that discribe this evil act, except that now he woke up in hellish nightmare in hell and the Holy Bible say that he'll experience this reality check for eternity...imaging this, you take one small tiny particles speck of rock from Mt. Everett every year and you finally come to the bottom and you still won't even start to end your misery for there is a trillion and trillion more Mt. Everett still awaits you to peck at it so to speak..eternity!!Hopeless!; Reply to this comment