Fallen South Fulton Capt. Helio Garcia commemorated with candlelight vigil

Yahoo

18-05-2025

The Brief
Family, friends and police officers gathered Saturday outside the South Fulton Police Precinct on Roosevelt Highway for a candlelight vigil to honor Capt. Helio Garcia.
Garcia was killed in the line of duty in April in a head-on collision. His colleagues said they were going to miss his presence on the force dearly, and that he always looked out for them.
Garcia's widow, Eliana Garcia, said she's overwhelmed by the support from the department and the South Fulton community, and asked those present Saturday to carry on his legacy of the highest standards of policing.
SOUTH FULTON, Ga. - Family and friends of Capt. Helio Garcia gathered Saturday night for a candlelight vigil to pay tribute to the fallen South Fulton police officer and to commemorate National Police Week.
What they're saying
Several of Garcia's family members addressed the crowd Saturday, including his daughter.
"It's so quiet and there's no one to tell us jokes or to tell us how beautiful we look when we come down the stairs for special events," she said.
Through tears, his daughter was describing what life has been like without her dad over the last month.
His wife Eliana Garcia says it was overwhelming to see everyone come out to honor her husband on Saturday.
"I'm speechless, honestly, with all the love and support that we've been receiving," she said.
Garcia was one of the founding members of the South Fulton Police Department and worked in many different positions there.
Chief of Police Kieth Meadows says most recently he assigned Garcia to be a patrol lieutenant to mentor younger officers.
Some of those officers who served under him shared that he always had their backs and how much they missed him.
"It just really hurts to know that I'll never be able to walk into the precinct and see him again," said Sgt. Wilson.
Eliana says the couple would've been married 13 years this July.
But she says her husband was living his dream of being a police officer and always tried to uphold the highest standards of policing.
"He wore his badge with pride and love and dignity and respect," she said.
The backstory
According to the police, Garcia was on duty and driving his patrol vehicle on April 15, 2025, when a driver, later identified as 31-year-old Santoria Latrice McLean, veered into his lane and hit him head on.
RELATED: Woman charged with killing South Fulton officer in head-on crash
Both Garcia and McLean were rushed to a local hospital.
Garcia did not survive his injuries.
Several members of South Fulton's City Council shared memories of how Garcia proudly served their community.
Eliana even shared how her husband had tried to feed and help a homeless individual on the night he was killed.
Chief Meadows said they're working on determining a way to permanently memorialize Capt. Garcia.
Fox 5 asked Eliana what she wants this community to remember most about her husband.
"He was an amazing man and a true hero," she said. "A true hero that served this community to literally the last seconds of his life."
The Source
FOX 5 Atlanta reporter Eric Mock attended a vigil put on by the South Fulton Police Department to honor Capt. Helio Garcia. Other information was derived from previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting.