Paula Louise Barrett, 56 and identified as homeless, was found dead near the Checkout convenience store at the corner of S. Staples Street and S.P.I.D. in Corpus Christi on November 18, 2020. She was remembered as a mother and grandmother.

The investigation led to the arrest of 43-year-old Robert Garcia. He was initially taken into custody on an unrelated aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge; detectives later linked him to Barrett’s death and charged him with murder. Garcia was held on a $1 million bond for the murder charge and faced additional charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and felon in possession of a firearm, with bonds of $100,000 and $50,000 respectively.

The case underscores violence against vulnerable people and the risks faced by those living on the streets. Anyone with information about Paula Barrett or this incident is asked to come forward.