While testifying Friday in Superior Court, a Lompoc man admitted pouring tiki torch oil on his father and lighting him on fire, with defendant Joseph Ashley Garcia denying an intent to kill but also confirming he didn’t yell for help upon seeing a burst of flames.

Under cross-examination by Senior Deputy District Attorney Madison Whitmore, the 44-year-old Garcia admitted he got on the ground as police broke through the front door that he had previously locked.

Whitmore asked whether the defendant urged police officers to help his father.

“I did not know the extent of the fire,” Garcia said, confirming he got on the ground per police officers’ demand.

“You were more concerned about yourself than your father, isn’t that correct?” Whitmore asked. 

“I suppose so,” Garcia answered. 

Garcia was arrested after the June 11, 2022, attack that critically injured his father, Joseph Michael Garcia, 68, who died days later from his injuries.

Officers responded at 3:30 p.m. that day to a residence on the 200 block of North D Street to a report of a father and son fighting, according to the Lompoc Police Department. 

When police entered the residence, they found the father’s head and upper body engulfed in flames.

The father’s dog had been sitting on his lap and fled from the house, but was captured and ultimately cared for by a Los Alamos resident, who found a new home for the healed canine.

The defendant has been charged with first-degree murder along with a special circumstance of torture plus felony animal cruelty and an allegation for use of a deadly weapon.

Under questioning from his attorney, George Steele, the defendant testified that he believed his spouse, father, landlords and others were part of a large human trafficking and child pornography ring.

Garcia claimed he was scared, angry and felt suicidal, leading to a video posted on social media and shown in court Friday morning to the jury.

“I woke up in a nightmare to learn about everything I found out about this organized crime network,” Garcia said in the video.

When police officers initially showed up at the home, Garcia said he was suspicious. 

“My thought was these weren’t police officers out there,” said the defendant, who wore a black suit with a light green shirt plus a tie in court on Friday. “These were my father’s crime partners.” 

Garcia, who had been the face of the Lompoc cannabis industry, said he wanted to do something sensational to get the media’s attention about the allegations. That’s when he decided to set his father’s hair on fire, he added.

“I told him I’m sorry but you brought this on yourself,” Garcia said. 

During her cross-examination, Whitmore peppered questions at Garcia, including about contacting a San Luis Obispo County media outlet ahead of Friday’s court testimony.

Trying to show the defendant’s mindset, Whitmore asked whether Garcia reached out to a media outlet seeking a favorable story. 

“I did,” Garcia said. 

Judges routinely tell jurors to avoid media reports and only consider testimony heard during a trial, so it’s not clear a public relations push would help him get the lesser charge he admittedly sought.

Garcia accused his father and husband of having an affair, leading the prosecuting attorney to ask, “To this date you believe that happened?”

“It did happen,” Garcia said.  

In addition to regularly using cannabis, Garcia also has started using methamphetamine, he confirmed.

The bottle of tiki torch oil had 3 to 4 ounces of liquid, Garcia estimated, adding that he poured the substance on his father and then lit him on fire before flames quickly spread beyond the older man’s hair. 

“You didn’t do what you needed to do to only burn his hair, right?” Whitmore asked. 

“I guess I’d agree with that,” Garcia said.

On Friday afternoon, a doctor testified that Garcia had been diagnosed with a delusional disorder.

Since the son pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, the trial will have two phases, with the first part focused on the guilt or innocence of the defendant.

The second part will center on whether the defendant was sane or insane at the time of the crime.

The trial before Lompoc Judge Stephen Dunkle is scheduled to resume April 13.

During the past four years, the homicide case has been slowly making its way through the legal system amid questions about Garcia’s mental competence. At least twice, Garcia has unsuccessfully filed Marsden motions as he attempted to fire his court-appointed attorney.

Garcia remains in the custody of the Santa Barbara County Jail, where he is being held without bail.