CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - Superior Court Judge Ernest Sawtelle sentenced Martin Lackey-Garcia to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Aug. 8 in Superior Court of Sacramento County.

Attempted murder victims spoke and many family members of the deceased spoke at the Aug. 8 sentencing. 

On July 11, a jury convicted Lackey-Garcia of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder.  The jury also found true a special circumstance of multiple murders. The prosecutor was Deputy District Attorney Frederick Gotha from the Homicide Unit.

Martin Lackey-Garcia, while at the Wellness and Recovery Center in Carmichael to meet with a counselor on Feb. 28, 2020, became enraged and attacked the counselor, fatally stabbing her multiple times. When a receptionist tried to save her, Lackey-Garcia stabbed the receptionist multiple times. That victim survived her injuries, including fractured ribs and a collapsed lung.

Lackey-Garcia then entered the building courtyard and chased wellness center employees. When one of the employees fell to the ground while attempting to flee, Lackey-Garcia stabbed him in the back and slashed his arm. That victim survived but also suffered severe injuries, including a severed artery. As employees fled the building, Lackey-Garcia re-entered the office and stabbed a fourth victim, killing him. Lackey-Garcia then exited the building and was soon apprehended by law enforcement.