Missing California woman, whose sister was killed in wrong-way crash, found dead in car; ex-boyfriend sought

Karen Garcia, left, was found dead in her car in a parking lot. Police are searching for her ex-boyfriend Salvador Garcia Jr. (Facebook/Colusa PD)

The body of a missing California woman — whose sister was killed in an unrelated wrong-way crash a week before — was found in a car, authorities said on Sunday, as they hunted for her ex-boyfriend in connection with her death.

The body of Karen Garcia, 21, was found in her car parked in a lot outside a Marshalls store in Woodland around 3:45 p.m. Sunday, FOX40 reported. She was first reported missing on Jan. 9, two days after her 19-year-old sister Jessica was killed in a wrong-way crash. Four other people, all 25 years old and under, were pronounced dead.

Garcia initially left her home to go shopping. She then texted her family on Jan. 8 to tell them she was in Roseville and heading to Vacaville, but then never returned.

Garcia’s ex-boyfriend, Salvador Garcia Jr., was named a suspect in the 21-year-old’s death after investigators found “evidence of a homicide” inside her apartment, Colusa Police Department said on Monday.

Garcia Jr. told the Sacramento Bee last week that he and his ex-girlfriend have known each other since the third grade. They dated for nine years before breaking up this year and had a 2-year-old daughter together, CBS Sacramento reported.

"She loves her family," he said. "She's one of the most upbeat people you'll ever meet."

Karen Garcia’s family told FOX40 last week the 19-year-old’s death was “probably just so hard” for the grieving sister to comprehend.