New Details on Armed Robbery Suspect with Violent Criminal Past

SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (SVL) — New information has surfaced about one of the suspects involved in the July 9 armed robbery off Golden Acres Drive, revealing a violent criminal history stretching back over a decade.

Jon Garcia, 39, is facing new charges of armed robbery, burglary, and aggravated assault with a weapon in connection to the July 9 incident. Garcia was previously arrested in 2012 for a home invasion on Theater Drive in Sierra Vista when he was 26 years old. In that case, Garcia was reportedly armed with a large knife, broke into a residence, restrained a female victim, and stole cash and personal belongings. Two others, Corinna Meade and Andrew Slough, both 22 at the time were also arrested for their roles in the crime, and the trio faced eight charges each.

Garcia faced multiple felony charges including burglary, kidnapping, armed robbery, aggravated assault, and a misdemeanor charge of theft. Through a plea agreement, he was sentenced to 10.5 years in prison for armed robbery and 7.5 years for attempted armed robbery, to be served concurrently. He had previously served prison time for three other charges of burglary and possession of burglary tools dating back to 2004.

In the recent July 9 case, Garcia was taken into custody alongside 29-year-old Ezekiel Vega, who was also booked into the Cochise County Jail. Vega faces charges of armed robbery, burglary, aggravated assault with a weapon, and probation violation. At the time of his arrest, Vega was on probation for a 2023 charge for assaulting a family member and causing injuries.

Cochise County Sheriff's Office is still looking for at least two other suspects.

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On Wednesday, July 9, 2025, at approximately 1:10 a.m., the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office was advised of an armed robbery in the Golden Acres area south of Sierra Vista.

The caller reported she had been asleep in her travel trailer when she was awoken by an armed, masked male suspect who ordered her to remain quiet. He threatened to shoot her if she made any noise, while a second suspect grabbed her personal bag and cell phone before fleeing. The woman was left unharmed.

The suspects then attempted to break into the main house on the property. The homeowner, alerted by his security camera system, observed four armed, masked individuals on his patio trying to gain entry through a locked door.

When deputies arrived, they obtained a photo of one suspect from the home’s door camera and discovered tracks and other evidence at the scene. As part of the ongoing investigation, the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Los Arcos Mobile Home Park in Sierra Vista around 5:00 p.m. on Monday, July 14.