Oct. 16--A South Side man has been charged with fatally shooting another man in Bridgeport early this year and also with head-butting a detective who questioned him, according to police.
Christopher Garza, 20, of the 4500 block of South Wood Street, was charged Friday morning with first-degree murder and aggravated battery of a peace officer.
Police said Garza was arrested after he was identified as the person who fatally shot Israel C. Pena, 20, in an alley in the 1200 block of West 32nd Street around 3 a.m. Jan. 29.
Prosecutors said Garza and Pena were riding in a vehicle belonging to Pena's sister, and had just been involved in a residential burglary in Rockford. At some point during the ride, the two had a disagreement over the proceeds from the burglary, prosecutors said.
According to prosecutors, Garza grabbed a firearm and shot Pena several times. Pena suffered wounds to the arm, hip and chest. After shooting Pena, Garza dumped his body in an alley at the 32nd Street location and drove about a half mile away where he burned the vehicle, prosecutors said.
The burning car was discovered first, then the body. Pena, of the 800 block of Montague Street in Rockford, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.
At the time of the shooting, cellphone tower records allegedly placed Garza near the scene of the burning vehicle and Pena's body. Later, Garza admitted to another person that he had shot Pena and burned the vehicle, prosecutors said.
After his arrest and during questioning, police said Garza head-butted a detective, who suffered swelling, bruising and redness to his eyebrow and right eye, prosecutors said.
Cook County Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr. ordered Garza held without bail Friday afternoon during a bail hearing.
