MORGAN CITY, La. — Morgan City Police held a press conference on Tuesday to announce a decades-old cold case had been solved.
In 1998, the body of Amber Lynn Jenkins Garcia was found in a wooded area. John Willis Pittman Jr. was a suspect then, but no charges were filed due to insufficient evidence. Months later, Pittman was arrested for a separate murder, which he pled guilty to. Now, 26 years after Garcia’s death, newly discovered DNA evidence has linked Pittman to her murder. This breakthrough has brought long-awaited justice to the Garcia family and closure to Morgan City.
On October 8, 1998, the Morgan City Police Department responded to Youngs Road regarding a body that had been discovered behind Youngs Park. The body was identified as Garcia. Detectives determined that Garcia's death was the result of a homicide.
As the investigation continued, information and leads turned cold, and investigators were unable to determine who was responsible for Garcia's death, Police Chief Chad Adams stated during the press conference.
On December 25, 1998, police responded to the area of Duke Street regarding the body of a woman who had been located. The body was identified as Jennifer Vedol, and it was determined that her death was the result of a homicide. John Willis Pittman Jr., who was 18 then, was developed as a suspect. Pittman was charged in Vedol's death and later pleaded guilty in the 16th Judicial Court to manslaughter and was sentenced to 40 years at hard labor.
Over the years, the investigation of Garcia was looked at to see if new leads could be developed regarding her death, according to Chief Adams. At the beginning of 2024, investigators resubmitted evidence collected from the scene of Garcia's death to the Acadiana Criminalistics Lab. Over the years, with technological advancement in this field, the results yielded that DNA collected from the scene linked Pittman to the death of Garcia.
Investigators obtained a warrant for Pittman's arrest on the charge of second-degree murder for the death of Amber Garcia that occurred more than 26 years ago. Pittman, who is still incarcerated at Elayn Hunt Correctional Center for the homicide of Vedol, will now be charged with the death of Garcia. He remains incarcerated and will be booked on the new charge. He will await court proceedings in the 16th Judicial Court.
