Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that Dari Garcia (age 28), of Providence, was sentenced today by Superior Court Justice Netti C. Vogel to two consecutive life sentences, with 125 years to serve consecutive to that, for his role in the August 17, 2014 home invasion and murder of Richard Catalano.
Garcia was found guilty by a Providence County Superior Court jury on all 14 counts, including one count of murder, one count of discharging a firearm resulting in murder, one count of burglary, one count of discharging a firearm while committing a crime of violence (burglary), three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, one count of discharging a firearm while committing a crime of violence, one count of use of a firearm while committing a crime of violence, one count of felony assault, one count of carrying a firearm without a license, one count of possession of a firearm while being previously convicted of a crime of violence, one count of an altered serial number of a firearm, and one count of committing a crime of violence with a stolen firearm.
During the two-week trial, presided over by Superior Court Justice Netti C. Vogel, the State proved that on August 17, 2014, Dari Garcia was driven to 9 Eliot Avenue in North Providence with the intent to rob Richard Catalano at his residence.
Upon arrival, Dari Garcia pried open the back door and confronted Richard Catalano in his bedroom, demanding money. He shot Richard, and when his mother, Lori Catalano, ran into the bedroom to assist her son, he shot her in the shoulder.
Richard's stepfather, Christopher Tamelleo, tried to tackle Garcia. During the struggle, Garcia held a gun to Christopher's head and also struck him repeatedly in the head with the firearm. Lorie Catalano, already injured, tried to intervene to help her husband, but Garcia gnawed off the tip of her finger and then shot her in the face.
Bleeding from her injuries, Lorie Catalano fled the house and ran to a neighbor's residence for help. Garcia also exited the house, looking for the getaway car he had arrived in. When he found he had been abandoned, Garcia went back inside the house. North Providence Police located him in a bedroom suffering from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was transported to Rhode Island Hospital for treatment.
"This lengthy sentence reflects the fact that this was a particularly brutal and violent home invasion that took the life of a young man and also left his mother with permanent injuries and trauma. The lengthy criminal record of Dari Garcia and his repeated violations of probation show a blatant disregard for the law and the consequences of his actions, and I believe the streets will be safer with him locked away," said Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin.
North Providence Detective Tom Jones led the investigation and Special Assistant Attorneys General Bethany Laskowski and Matthew LaMountain prosecuted the case on behalf of the Attorney General.