PETER Garcia’s cellmate tried to poison him inside the Maximum Security Prison (MSP) three weeks ago, his girlfriend, Crystal Bullock, said yesterday.

But Garcia was able to fight off that threat on his life with his fists, Bullock said.

On Monday, Garcia was fatally shot outside the Rio Claro Magistrates’ Court while being escorted to the nearby police station by unarmed officers.

At the time of the fatal shooting, Garcia was restrained by handcuffs.

Those handcuffs remained on when Garcia was transported to the Forensic Science Centre to have his autopsy performed yesterday.

Bullock was at the Forensic Science Centre yesterday to witness Garcia’s autopsy. According to Bullock, while Garcia was at MSP some three weeks ago, he noticed an inmate rifling through his personal food items.

Garcia confronted the prisoner and a fist-fight between the two began.

Following this confrontation, the inmate told Garcia he was paid to poison him. The incident was reported to the prison authorities and Garcia was subsequently transferred to the Golden Grove Remand Yard for his own protection.

Several attempts to confirm this incident with prison officials proved futile yesterday.

Garcia is expected to be laid to rest at the end of this week, and relatives have sought the help of Rio Claro police to protect them during the nightly vigils they intend to have for him at his uncle’s Agostini Village home. Police protection is also being sought for the funeral.

Garcia is expected to be laid to rest at the Rio Claro Cemetery between his murdered brothers, Jason and Gerard. In the space of one year, all three brothers were shot dead.