Watsonville man arrested after death of co-worker

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the death of his co-worker in Morgan Hill in July, police said Thursday.

Martin Mason Garcia, 30, of Watsonville, was arrested Tuesday for the death of Curtis Stephen Stapleton, 27, of Sunnyvale, according to Morgan Hill police.

At about 9:40 p.m. on July 3, officers were dispatched to the 15000 block of Concord Circle on a report of an unconscious man on the sidewalk. They arrived to find Stapleton, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators determined the death was suspicious and that Garcia was the last person to be seen with Stapleton. The two men were co-workers at a nearby business and apparently were involved in a physical altercation, police said.

Over the past three months, detectives gathered enough evidence linking Garcia to the death. A $6 million arrest warrant was issued and Garcia was arrested Tuesday in Watsonville and then booked into Santa Clara County Jail, according to police.

A GoFundMe account was created following Stapleton’s death to raise funds for his family, including a young daughter. The account at https://www.gofundme.com/curtis-stapleton-union-brother had raised nearly $9,400 as of this morning.

Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to contact Detective Price at (408) 779-2101 or an anonymous tip line at (408) 947-STOP.

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