Man who killed stripper’s bodyguard tries to switch plea. ‘I didn’t know what I was signing’
Randy Jones, the 32-year-old man convicted of fatally shooting Justin Garza in a Motel 6 parking lot in 2019, was sentenced to 50-years-to-life in prison on Wednesday, despite a last-ditch effort to hire a new attorney.
Garza, a bodyguard for a local adult entertainment company, was shot six times on March 3, 2019 while trying to collect $30,000 from Jones for unpaid stripper services.
Jones was charged with murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, assault with a firearm and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Jones initially pleaded not guilty to the charges, but changed his plea to guilty on Sept. 9, in exchange for having two other charges dropped.
On Wednesday, Jones surprised the courtroom with a request to hire a new attorney, withdraw his plea and proceed to a trial.
“I was not in the right state of mind,” he told the Judge Gary Orozco. “I didn’t know what I was signing.”
Jones wanted to replace his defense team with a new attorney, Jeremy Karpel of the Karpel Law Group in Southern California.
Orozco rejected the request and reminded Jones that he previously told the court he was going to take responsibility for what he did.
“You clearly understood what you were signing up for when this plea was taken,” the judge said. “The request to substitute counsel is untimely and without basis and the motion to substitute counsel is denied.”
Prosecutor Elana Smith objected to the last minute maneuvering. adding that Jones was trying to delay the inevitable.
Garza’s family members were pleased the sentencing went forward.
Garza’s mother Sarah Garza, of Reedley, said Justin was her only child and she will miss his laughter and his sense of humor.
“He loved to make us smile,” she said.
Garza said she was worried about him taking that job, but he assured her that he would do everything he could to avoid trouble or violence.
She smiled to herself as she remembered that as a child Justin hated to get his clothes dirty. He was scolded by his youth baseball coaches once for not wanting to slide into second base for fear he would get his uniform dirty.
Two of his youth coaches attended Wednesday’s sentencing hearing.
“He touched so many people’s lives,” Garza said, after the hearing.
Family members of Jones spoke on his behalf, urging the judge for leniency. His uncle Thomas Walker said Jones has struggled over the years with substance abuse and alcoholism as have others in his family.
Pastor Michael Alarcon of the Sacred Landmark Missionary Baptist Church in Auberry said Jones made a horrible mistake, but that does not make him a monster.
“Marcus Wesson was a monster, Jeffrey Dahmer is a monster, “ he said. “This brother has two children, he has a good heart and is very much loved.”
