Life in prison for man who attacked 4, killing 2, in 2020 Carmichael recovery center stabbings

A Sacramento Superior Court judge sentenced a man Thursday to life in prison after he embarked on a bloody stabbing spree at a Carmichael wellness center that killed two people, including a blind intern, and left another two people severely injured, prosecutors said.

Martin Lackey-Garcia, 44, was convicted last month of two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder in the February 2020 attack at the Wellness and Recovery Center. A jury also found true special circumstances of multiple murders, prosecutors said.

Lackey-Garcia had arrived to the center to get help, urged by his family, after he told them he was being followed and his phone was hacked, according to Lackey-Garcia’s opening statements. He represented himself at trial.

The defendant made an unplanned trip to meet with Elizabeth Waits, a rehabilitation mentor, the day of the attack. But Lackey-Garcia became more aggressive through the meeting, prompting Waits to seek help from her co-workers, according to testimony.

A co-worker, Eileen Stanwick, came into the office to help. But Lackey-Garcia killed the 53-year-old by stabbing her at least six times and then turned his blade to receptionist Tracy Drake, who heard Stanwick’s screams and ran over, prosecutors said.

Drake suffered multiple stab wounds, which fractured her ribs and collapsed her lung, as Lackey-Garcia mounted his attack. Another employee, 57-year-old Paul McIntyre, who is blind, rushed over using his cane to also help.

But Lackey-Garcia stabbed McIntyre. He died at scene, prosecutors said.

Lackey-Garcia chased the center director, Charles McLellan, outside before slashing his forearm deeply. McLellan lost some function of his hand, according to The Sacramento Bee’s previous reporting.

Lackey-Garcia was being held at the downtown jail on Friday as he awaits his transfer to state prison.

This story was originally published August 9, 2024 at 4:31 PM.