Teen sought in murder eludes police another day

Deepa Bharath

COSTA MESA -- Police are still looking for a teenager suspected of

bludgeoning to death a 16-year-old girl whose slain body was found on a

trail in Fairview Park on Sept. 21.

Victor Garcia, 17, fled from his Costa Mesa home after he learned

investigators were looking for him in connection with the murder of

Ceceline Godsoe, authorities allege.

Police officials issued a no-bail juvenile warrant Thursday for

Garcia’s arrest.

Godsoe’s father said he has neither met nor heard about Garcia.

“And I’m not surprised about that at all,” William Godsoe said. “It

would have been more of a shock for me if I had found out that one of her

friends had done it.”

Ceceline Godsoe died after being bludgeoned on the head by a blunt

instrument, according to an autopsy report.

Officials said they were able to pinpoint Garcia by matching

fingerprints taken from the spot where Godsoe was found. Police also said

Garcia and Godsoe had met in the park the evening of Sept. 20.

Her father said he still puts fresh flowers on the dust and

brush-covered trail where she was found dead by a friend during the early

hours of Sept. 21.

“It’s been a very difficult time,” he said. “Some of her friends are

seriously upset.”

Godsoe said he is among many who are puzzled about the teenager’s

tragic death.

“The whole incident is shrouded in a fog of mystery,” he said. “That

is because we don’t know who this person is. But in time, police will

reconstruct the incident and” unravel the truth.

Pamela Boyd, whose son was friends with Ceceline about three years

ago, said she was a “painfully shy” girl who seemed depressed and hung

out “with a rough crowd.”

“This is just a very, very sad story of a girl who was in the wrong

place at the wrong time,” she said. “I think her father really tried hard

to do what was best for her, and it was tough for him as a single

parent.”

Garcia, who is also known as Victor Manuel Garduno and goes by the

nickname of “Pumpkin Head,” is described as 5-foot-8 and 195 pounds with

black hair, brown eyes and a tribal tattoo on his upper right arm.

A memorial service will be held for Ceceline Godsoe at 5 p.m. Tuesday

at the Orange County Unitarian Universalist Church at 1259 Victoria St.

FYI

Anybody with information about Garcia’s whereabouts is asked to call

Det. Mike Cacho at (714) 754-5340 or the Costa Mesa Police Department at

(714) 754-5206.