A Chula Vista woman denied Wednesday killing a 23-year-old woman who was described by family as a friend.
Vanessa Gastellu, 29, pleaded not guilty to killing 23-year-old Christina Garcia, whose body was found by a person walking on a trail near the Otay River last summer, the Chula Vista Police Department said.
The criminal complaint charging Gastellu with murder and several firearm-use allegations alleges the killing occurred on or about the date Garcia's body was found.
Gastellu was arrested about two-and-a-half months later, shocking Garcia's family, who thought the two were friends. Gastellu is being held on $3 million bail.
Garcia's mother, Lisa Garcia, is convinced Gastellu was responsible for her daughter's death and hoped she could own up to it.
"I just hope she'll plead guilty so that we don't have to go through this extraneous three-year process I just hope she'll become honest and she'll find it in her heart just to be honest," Lisa Garcia said.
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Christina Garcia's body was found by a passerby in a field behind a Smart & Final store in the 3100 block of Main Street in Chula Vista on the morning of Aug. 5, 2020.
Police said she had what appeared to be a gunshot wound. There were also shell casings discovered around the body, indicating the woman was slain, Lt. John English said.
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CVPD did not release any more details about the investigation, including a possible motive or how Gastellu was taken into custody on Oct. 20.
Garcia was a mother to a two-year-old and was going to school, eventually wanting to become a nurse, according to her mother.
Gastellu is next expected to appear in court on April 3.
