Details of revenge plot released

July 3, 2013

Several months before he was murdered, five people including a jilted lover allegedly plotted to rob and assault Paso Robles resident Victor Hugo Sanchez.

At the case moves through the court, details of the plot first reported by CalCoastNews are being released. [Tribune]

On Oct. 5, Crystal Lynn Garner, 26, sent Sanchez a text message saying, “I want to hook up.”

Sanchez then called Garner who told him they had met before. She asked him to hook up with her at Pappy McGregor’s Bar & Grill in Paso Robles. Sanchez arrived, didn’t recognize Garner, and bought her several drinks.

Garner allegedly told Sanchez she wanted to have sex, they left the bar with Garner driving Sanchez’ car. A white sedan began following them and Garner pulled over in Templeton. The driver of the sedan then approached Sanchez’s car, and walked back to the sedan with Garner.

Sanchez was unable to drive away because Garner had taken his keys.

The man returned to Sanchez with a pipe wrench and began pummeling him while two women in the car yelled for the assailant to hit Sanchez in the legs and to rob him.

Nearby residents heard the commotion, and the assailants, along with the young woman, fled.

Sanchez was hospitalized with broken bones and facial injuries.

At least one of the men suspected of beating Sanchez ended up in San Luis Obispo County Jail after the incident. Authorities are not identifying the man or men, or giving a reason for the incarceration.

But Sanchez’ former employer Jay Silva said Sanchez had been receiving numerous death threats from unidentified persons regarding his testimony in possible future criminal proceedings against the assault and robbery suspects.

Silva said he was told by a Paso Robles police officer that one of the robbery suspects was released from county lockup on Feb. 22.

“And the next day Victor is dead,” Silva said.

According to Paso Robles detectives, the robbery and assault were planned, orchestrated and financed by Maria del Carmen Granados Fajardo, 49, after “an acrimonious breakup with Sanchez.”

Garner’s pretrial hearing on the assault case was postponed on Monday.

Officials have identified Crystal Garner, her boyfriend Joseph Villarreal Jr., her sister Christine Garner, her brother in law David Rodriguez Hernandez and Granados as murder suspects.

Christine Garner and Hernandez fled to Mexico after Sanchez’s murder. Authorities had Christine Garner extradited back to Paso Robles on April 18.

Hernandez remains on the loose in Mexico, but is being sought by Mexican authorities.

Granados was in Fayetteville, Georgia, when she was taken into custody. She is fighting extradition back to California.