'Not sorry I killed that f—ing b—': Man who shot ex outside her work a week after she filed protection order learns his fate

A 58-year-old antheral successful Michigan volition apt walk the remainder of his beingness down bars for killing his ex-girlfriend, ambushing her extracurricular enactment portion she was connected her interruption and shooting her aggregate times successful wide daylight.

Washtenaw County Trial Court Judge Carol Kuhnke connected Friday ordered Barry Lee Garza to service 30 to 60 years successful a authorities correctional installation for the 2023 slaying of 40-year-old Amber Jo Thomas, tribunal records show. The tribunal credited Garza with 995 days of clip already served.

Garza successful February pleaded nary contention to 1 number each of second-degree execution and battle with intent to execution successful transportation with the attack. In speech for his plea, prosecutors dropped an further felony firearms charge.

During Friday's sentencing hearing, household members and friends described Thomas arsenic a benignant and vibrant pistillate who had tried to support herself successful the months starring up to her death, according to a report from MLive.

"She was scared, but she was trying to survive," said Jessica Richardson, a person and co-worker who witnessed the aftermath of the shooting. "Despite everything she did to support herself, this suspect recovered her. He came to her workplace, and helium took her life."

Relatives urged the tribunal to enforce the maximum penalty.

Thomas' parent reportedly held up photographs of her girl successful tribunal and spoke straight to Garza, telling him, "I privation you to see, Barry, what you took from us."

Thomas' member told Garza helium had "brought thing but grief, depression, and discontent to our family."

From the bench, Kuhnke said the grounds against Garza showed helium had planned and deliberately killed Thomas.

"Given wherever helium lived and wherever the incidental occurred, intelligibly helium had to thrust immoderate region to get there, had to battalion a gun, had to load a weapon and get to her spot of enactment and hold for his opportunity," the justice reportedly said.

As Law&Crime previously reported, the fatal shooting unfolded connected Aug. 3, 2023, erstwhile Garza drove to the Linden Square Assisted Living installation successful Saline and opened occurrence successful a adjacent parking batch portion Thomas was connected a break.

Authorities said Garza changeable Thomas successful the cervix and besides wounded a 67-year-old antheral who was with her astatine the clip earlier fleeing successful a tan Ford Focus. A Washtenaw County sheriff's lawman aboriginal encountered the crashed conveyance adjacent South Ann Arbor Street and Willis Road, wherever Garza refused commands and was subdued with a Taser earlier being taken into custody.

Prosecutors alleged Garza showed nary remorse successful the contiguous aftermath, telling authorities astatine the scene, "I'm not atrocious I killed that f—ing b—." A justice aboriginal described the grounds against him arsenic "devastating" portion denying him bond.

The onslaught came conscionable 1 week aft Thomas obtained a idiosyncratic extortion bid against Garza pursuing a astir decade-long relationship. In her filing, she said helium had subjected her to years of carnal and verbal maltreatment and that she feared helium would travel done connected repeated threats to termination her. Although the bid was granted successful precocious July of 2023, it was ne'er served connected Garza.

Police said the shooting unfolded astir 11:35 a.m. successful the 600 artifact of Woodland Drive, prompting an "active shooter" effect arsenic officers rushed to the country and secured the area. Doctors initially listed Thomas successful captious information aft rushing her to the hospital, but she aboriginal died from her injuries, starring to upgraded charges.

She is survived by her mother, siblings — including a duplicate member — and extended family, who person pushed for her slayer to look justness successful the years since her death.