Wednesday, April 18, 2012
The 21-year-old West Newton resident and Boston College student tragically drowned in the Chestnut Hill Reservoir. His funeral was held earlier today in Chestnut Hill.
"He was my teddy bear." As Boston College student Katherine Corteselli shared memories of her best friend Franco Garcia, young college students sat alongside professors, priests, police officers and family members, dabbing tear-filled eyes with each recollection. "He gave the absolute best hugs...what I'm going to miss the most are those hugs," Corteselli said during today's funeral Mass for Garcia. Hundreds of people -- whether they knew Garcia or not -- flooded a St. Ignatius Church in Chestnut Hill this morning to say one last goodbye to the Boston College student whose life was tragically cut short when he drowned in the Chestnut Hill Reservoir. Garcia, 21, was a West Newton resident, a chemistry major and member of the school's …
Friday, April 13, 2012
The DA's office confirmed yesterday the body found in the Chestnut Hill Reservoir is that of missing BC Student Franco Garcia. A look at the last seven weeks in the case, including the search efforts and recovery.
Click through the photos to see a timeline of events in the case of missing BC student Franco Garcia.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Officials say Garcia's death was likely accidental.
The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office confirmed today that the body found yesterday in the Chestnut Hill Reservoir is, in fact, missing Boston College Student and West Newton resident Franco Garcia. According to a press release issued Thursday afternoon by the DA's office, state pathologists "conclusively identified" the body as Garcia. Garcia's body was found early Wednesday morning in the Chestnut Hill Reservoir, seven weeks after he went missing from a Cleveland Circle Bar. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has not yet ruled on the official cause or manner of death, the press release said, pending further toxicological testing. However, the examination revealed that Garcia did not have any broken bones or other serious …
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
An autopsy will be under way shortly to confirm the body is Franco Garcia's — and whether any foul play was involved.
Updated 1:46 p.m. with more information from the scene. Seven weeks after he went missing, officials say that the body pulled from Chestnut Hill Reservoir this morning is that of Boston College student Franco Garcia. According to Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley, preliminary information shows that the body in the reservoir is Garcia. Conley said items found on the body as well as clothing helped officials identify Garcia. Officials will be able to "absolutely" confirm the identification once a full autopsy is complete, Conley said. The autopsy will likely be done today or tomorrow, he said. "I'd like to thank the community of Boston, the Boston College community, the city of Newton, the West Newton community...for banding …
Monday, April 2, 2012
The family and friends of Franco Garcia held a church service Sunday in Garcia's name.
More than five weeks after he went missing, the friends and family of Franco Garcia are continuing to keep faith that he will return home safe. A Mass in Franco's name was held yesterday at Saint Jude Parish in Waltham. According to WCVB, the Palm Sunday service brought together dozens of people praying for the 21-year-old Boston College student. Garcia, who is from West Newton, went missing in the early morning hours of Feb. 22 after he left Mary Ann's bar in Brighton. He was last seen by friends around 12:15 a.m. and was captured on surveillance footage in Cleveland Circle around 12:18 a.m. Since his disappearance, police have searched the area extensively, including a four-day scan of the Chestnut Hill Reservoir. Despite the ongoing …
Thursday, March 15, 2012
More than three weeks have passed since the 21-year-old was last seen in Cleveland Circle.
While police continue to investigate the disappearance of Franco Garcia, friends and family are maintaining search and outreach efforts online and through social media. Earlier this week, a website was started to compile information about the missing Boston College student. Findfranco.org includes photos and resources for those looking to help in the search as well as a section where people can submit tips. Those who visit the site can also find copies of "Find Franco" flyers to distribute as well as a link to donate to the Find Franco search fund, which has raised $7,000. It's been more than three weeks since the Boston College senior disappeared after leaving a Cleveland Circle bar. The 21-year-old West Newton resident was last seen on …
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Have you seen this man? A timeline of events in the search for Franco Garcia, whose whereabouts is a mystery.
[Update: Boston College published a letter informing students of the resources available to them in the BC Chronicle. This information has been added to the article. State Police have no updates at this time. 12:53 p.m.] It's been a week since friends and family have seen missing Boston College student Franco Garcia. He was last spotted at Mary Ann's bar in Cleveland Circle (Brighton) around 12:15 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22. Garcia, a West Newton resident, is described as a Hispanic male, 21, about 5'9" tall and 200 pounds. He was last seen wearing a blue-and-white-striped button-down shirt, a North Face jacket, and glasses. Anyone with information about Garcia's disappearance is asked to contact Newton Police at 617-796-2100 or Massachusetts…
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Dive crews searched the Chestnut Hill reservoir for approximately four hours Tuesday.
After a four hour search, Massachusetts State Police dive team packed up for the day after searching the Chestnut Hill Reservoir for evidence of missing Boston College student Franco Garcia. According to State Police Spokesman David Procopio, the State Police Underwater Recovery Unit did not find any significant evidence in a second straight day of searching. The crews will be back tomorrow to do another search with a side-scan sonar device. "Our sincerest hope is that we will be able to bring Franco Garcia home safely to his family and his college community," State Police Spokesman David Procopio said in a statement. State Police teams searched the reservoir for approximately four hours Tuesday, Procopio said. Multiple divers rotated in…
Franco Garcia's friends take the search to social media, even as masses are held to pray for his safe return.
Monday was a long day for many at the Chestnut Hill Reservoir. But for the family and friends of missing Boston College student Franco Garcia, the search effort didn't end when the State Police dive team docked their boat. According to Rachele Reis, one of Garcia's friends and band mates, roughly 40 volunteers gathered at the reservoir yesterday around 3 p.m. to start a foot search of the Chestnut Hill/Boston College area. Groups of 3-4 volunteers split up into four "quadrants" to search Lake Street, Beacon Street, Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill Avenue, Foster Street and Washington Street. After roughly three and a half hours, the search ended with negative results, Reis said. Garcia, 21, has been missing since 12:15 a.m. Wednesday, …
Grahame Turner
4:00 pm on Thursday, April 19, 2012
We believe the reference was to Maryann's, the bar in Cleveland Circle. So, it sounds like the latter, that he is making a statement about the influences of alcohol on students. more ›