LOS ANGELES (TCN) -- You’ve heard her voice on "True Crime News The Podcast." You’ve watched her interviews on our YouTube channel. And now, you’ll see her on the new television show "True Crime News." But there are many dimensions to Ana Garcia that exist beyond what’s shown in the media.
Garcia is a multi-hyphenate. She’s an Emmy Award-winning journalist. A mother. An advocate for dogs. A student.
Garcia kicked off her TV journalism career while in college at St. John’s University in New York. Her knack for finding stories and landing major interviews didn’t take long to appear. The school’s studio became her stomping grounds as she often invited speakers to join her for sit-down conversations. Her big break occurred while at St. John’s when she had the opportunity to speak with G. Gordon Liddy, an architect of the 1972 Watergate scandal.
Since then, there’s been no stopping Garcia. She’s won eight Emmys, 10 Golden Mikes for broadcast journalism, and countless Los Angeles Press Club awards. In fact, one of those Emmys was for her work in sports journalism. She even got to throw out a first pitch at a Los Angeles Dodgers game with her own personalized jersey!
Garcia told True Crime News about, "I was shocked that I beat out the best sportscasters in Los Angeles, some of whom are famous athletes."
But at the end of the day, as Garcia says, "It’s all about storytelling."
Her career in the true crime world came about because the crime beat is something that every reporter covers when they begin. Then, over time, she began doing her own investigations utilizing tactics like hidden cameras and sting operations. Thanks to her, perpetrators have been put behind bars and held accountable for their actions.
Garcia shared with us, "The difference now is that instead of covering crime as it happens, we have the ability to do a deep dive into the case, the details of the case, the motivation, and what else was going on under the surface."
Over the course of her career, Garcia has shown viewers and listeners time and again the importance of justice for survivors and their families. She understands that the victims in these cases are not mere statistics or names. They are people with stories and backgrounds whose loved ones now have a vast hole in their lives.
She said, "I feel like we are finally focusing on the survivors and the victims and looking at justice from their perspective. Although it’s always important to ensure that everyone’s rights are preserved and not violated, I feel like this system always worries about the defendant and doesn’t have the same regard for the victim in the case."
One case in particular that still stands out to Garcia is that of Mike Williams in Tallahassee, Florida. Williams disappeared on his wedding anniversary, and the story for a long time was that he was eaten by an alligator while out fishing. His mother Cheryl refused to accept that answer and continued to fight for an investigation. It took 17 years, but Williams' murder case was ultimately blown wide open and solved. Garcia and Cheryl Williams still talk to this day.
Garcia said, "I always think of that case as one that shows you should never give up and how hopeful one should be that eventually you can get justice."
Garcia’s life revolves around more than true crime, and she makes sure of that. As if she’s not accomplished enough, she’s currently in school for her master’s degree in native studies at the University of Montana. In her spare time, Garcia loves playing mah-jongg and caring for some furry four-legged friends.
You can catch Garcia on "True Crime News" by checking your local listings here.
Local News
Comments / 0