Man convicted of raping, murdering Janaya Thompson denied appeal

The state Supreme Court has denied post-conviction relief to a Gulfport man convicted in the rape and murder of a 5-year-old girl in 2014.

Alberto Garcia was sentenced to death in 2017 after confessing to raping and hanging to death 5-year-old Ja’Naya Thompson.

The child was reported missing after disappearing outside her family’s apartment. She was found dead a day later in an abandoned trailer.

Judge Lisa Dodson sentenced Garcia to death. He appealed and the decision was affirmed by the Supreme Court in 2020. He then asked for post-conviction relief, citing ineffective counsel at sentencing for failing to pursue fetal alcohol syndrome disorder as a mitigating factor.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court denied his request, saying there was no evidence of ineffective counsel at sentencing.