GBI Makes Arrest in 2019 Norcross Murder

Norcross, GA (March 22, 2021) – On Friday, March 19, 2021, as a result of a lengthy murder investigation, Leslie Garcia-Juarez, 16, of Norcross, was arrested and charged with felony murder and aggravated assault. The charges stem from the murder of Osiel Montano, 19, of Norcross, which occurred in December of 2019. Garcia-Juarez was arrested at the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice, Regional Youth Detention Center (RYDC) in Gainesville. Garcia-Juarez was being held at the Gainesville RYDC after being charged in December 2020 by the Gwinnett County Police Department on an unrelated murder.

On Monday, December 30, 2019, the GBI was requested by the Norcross Police Department to assist with the homicide investigation. Montano’s body had been found in an abandoned apartment at the Spring Lake Apartment complex located at 100 Chase Common Drive in Norcross. Montano died from a single gunshot wound to the head. It was determined that Garcia-Juarez shot and killed Montano and then fled the scene.

The GBI would like to thank the Norcross Police Department, Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office, the Gwinnett County Police Department, the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice, and the Gwinnett County Juvenile Court Probation Unit for their assistance with the investigation.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact the GBI. Tips can be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS(8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.