FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP, Ohio — A Fairfield Township family said they are one step closer to finding answers in the death of one of their own.
Sixteen-year-old Sydney Garcia-Tovar was shot and killed in 2018. On Wednesday, police announced a grand jury had indicted Markeylnd Townsend, 22, on charges connected to the crime.
“I mean, it’s been a thousand-plus days since she’s been taken from us,” said Garcia-Tovar’s brother, Joaquin Garcia-Tovar.
Officials haven't clarified whether they believe Townsend is the actual shooter in this case or not.
Investigators said Sydney Garcia-Tovar was shot outside Tyler’s Creek Townhomes the evening of July 23, 2018. She died in a local hospital the next day.
“She was in the wrong place at the wrong time in a bad situation,” Fairfield Township police Sgt, Brandon McCroskey said.
He was on the scene the night of Garcia-Tovar’s shooting. McCroskey said she was with a group of people outside the apartment complex. When she went to leave, bullets hit her car, striking her in the back of the head and hitting the man in her passenger seat. The passenger survived.
“Sydney did not deserve to die from being there and being involved in that situation,” McCroskey said. “She was a victim. It is a tragedy all the way around.”
Garcia-Tovar’s family said she was an ROTC cadet at Hamilton High School who had hopes of one day becoming a Marine.
Townsend is currently in jail serving three years for an unrelated robbery.
Detectives said they’re currently working to connect others to the crime.
“It’s not over until it’s over,” Joaquin Garcia-Tovar said. “I mean, there’s no sense of relief because, I mean, my sister’s still dead.”
Anyone with information regarding Sydney Garcia-Tovar’s homicide is being asked to call the Fairfield Township Police Department or CrimeStoppers at 513-352-3040.
