A Nampa man faced up to 25 years in prison for kidnapping. He died before sentencing
A Nampa man who was one of six people authorities connected to the kidnapping and subsequent murder of a 22-year-old man died last week. He was 26.
The Canyon County Sheriff’s Office responded to the unattended death of Tomas Pina Sarmiento on Sept. 24 on the 9000 block of South Powerline Road, spokesperson Joe Decker told the Idaho Statesman by email. Canyon County Chief Deputy Coroner Steve Rhodes told the Statesman by phone that Sarmiento likely died from an opiate overdose. The coroner’s office is awaiting confirmation from the toxicology report.
The exact cause of death hasn’t been determined, but Rhodes said “there’s nothing suspicious” about Sarmiento’s death.
Sarmiento in August pleaded guilty to the second-degree kidnapping of Luis Garcia. He was expected to be sentenced in December and faced up to 25 years in prison for the felony.
Garcia was found “unresponsive” in the driveway of a Caldwell home on Nov. 6, according to an affidavit of probable cause obtained by the Statesman. He was repeatedly beaten with a golf club and stabbed on Nov. 5.
Garcia was taken to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, according to the affidavit, which was written by Nampa Police Department Detective Christopher Davenport. Garcia was “not expected to live” and died on Nov. 10.
This story was originally published September 28, 2022 at 5:33 PM.
