Garen Horst was presented with the Placer County Prosecutor of the Year Award before the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, July 10, 2007. Horst is a Senior Deputy District Attorney for the Placer County District Attorney’s Office. District Attorney Bradford R. Fenocchio indicated that Mr. Horst was selected by his fellow prosecutors to be the recipient of this award based on his overall excellence as a prosecutor, work ethic, and integrity. Fenocchio described Horst, normally pleasant and of a quiet demeanor, as an aggressive courtroom professional, who can, and will, fight hard to see justice prevail.
In his capacity as a prosecutor, he has handled many significant cases for the Placer County District Attorney’s Office. Recently, he obtained Placer County’s first “no-body” homicide conviction in the case of People v. Mario Garcia. Following the disappearance of the victim, Christie Wilson, from the Thunder Valley Casino, Horst led a prosecutorial team that obtained a conviction on this complicated and largely circumstantial case. The case included forensic and medical evidence, including trace and DNA evidence. The jury convicted Garcia, who received a sentence of 59 years to life. The Garcia case was the subject of a CBS News 48 Hours Mystery television program entitled “The Biggest Gamble”, and a television show entitled “Forensic Files”. Senior Deputy District Attorney and Public Information Officer Scott Owens, speaking on behalf of the Deputy District Attorney’s Association, acknowledged the tremendous personal sacrifice and dedication of Mr. Horst in prosecuting this matter.
Additionally, Horst has served as President of the Placer County District Attorney’s Association and created the Citizens Recognition Program, now in its 10th year, to honor citizens who help law enforcement fight crime in Placer County. He has received recognition awards from MADD. His selection by his peers as this year’s recipient of the Prosecutor of the Year Award is the second time he has earned such an honor.