Amarillo Police Department closes 1976 cold case

Update: 3:34 p.m.

The Amarillo Police Department Homicide Unit Commander, Lieutenant James Clements provided an update to a 1976 cold case involving the murder of Barbara Ann Garcia.

According to Clements, on Dec. 14, 1976, Garcia was murdered in her home by a man cold case investigators were able to identify as Billy Gene Cummings, who would now be 73.

Garcia was found dead outside by her family members. Her five-month-old daughter, Natasha Garcia, who was with her at the time of the murder was found alive.

Clements said the case went cold due to a lack of evidence and witnesses.

“Detectives soon developed back in 1976 the best they could, evidence, witnesses and any kind of information they could very quickly, but the case went cold due to a lack of provable evidence and a lack of witnesses,” said Clements.

In December 2022, the cold case investigation unit of the Amarillo Police Department was established and the evidence in the case of Garcia was resubmitted in June 2023. Information and a positive DNA match of evidence on a pair of shoes identified Cummings in August 2024.

Police said they learned that Cummings died in Tucson, Arizona in 2020.

“I want to say that even though we weren’t able to fully prosecute Billy Gene Cummings for the murder of Barbara Ann Garcia, we hope that this brings closure to the family and a knowing of what happened to Barbara Ann Garcia,” said Clements.

“I waited my whole life for this day and this moment to come, and I don’t feel closure. I’ll never have closure. I don’t feel justice, I don’t feel any of those things. Maybe it will come. What I’m praying for now is peace,” said Natasha Garcia.

Original Story

AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — The Amarillo Police Department announced it will be providing an update on a cold case during a news conference Thursday afternoon.

APD said its Homicide Unit commander will hold a press conference at 3 p.m. at the Amarillo Police Department on the 4th floor to provide an update on a 1976 cold case. No other details were released. The news conference will be streamed in the live player above.

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