The Georgia Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the conviction and life sentence of Miguel Garcia-Martinez for the January 2018 murder of Daniel Antonio-Lopez as well as the Aggravated Assault of three other individuals in Newton County.

Garcia-Martinez claimed that the evidence presented at his January 2020 trial was insufficient to support the guilty verdicts. The Supreme Court unanimously rejected the claim, said District Attorney Randy McGinley. 

Specifically, Garcia-Martinez claimed that there was no evidence that he committed the murder with malice —  meaning with the intent to kill. 

Regarding this claim, the Supreme Court stated, "the jury could find malice based upon Garcia-Martinez's threats to kill Antonio-Lopez, his instigation and escalation of the quarrel, and his firing multiple shots at Antonio-Lopez, culminating in his standing over the helpless man as he lay dying on the ground, cursing him, and shooting him at close range in the forehead," McGinley said.

The appeal was handled by Senior Assistant District Attorney Bailey Wilkinson, who also tried the case.

Garcia-Martinez was convicted on charges of Malice Murder, four counts of Aggravated Assault, and four counts of Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Felony

On Feb. 4, 2020, Garcia-Martinez was sentenced to serve life in prison for Murder; 20 years in prison consecutive to the life sentence for the first Aggravated Assault count; 20 years on each of the remaining Aggravated Assault counts concurrent with the first count; and consecutive five-year terms for each of the four firearm possession counts.