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Tuscola County Killer Re-Sentenced In Decades Old Murder Case
Russ Survance
Fri, 10 Jul 2026 11:11:51 EDT
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A man convicted in the killing of a Tuscola County teenager nearly 50 years ago has received a new prison sentence following changes in Michigan law governing juvenile offenders.
69 year old Melvin Garza appeared in Tuscola County Circuit Court this week for resentencing. Garza was 19 when he was originally sentenced to life without parole in 1985 for the murder of 17 year old Robin Adams. Her remains were discovered in a wooded area of Tuscola County in 1984, years after her disappearance in 1976.
Under court rulings that prohibit mandatory life-without-parole sentences for certain youthful offenders, Garza's original sentence was vacated, requiring the court to impose a new sentence.
Family members addressed the court, urging that Garza remain behind bars. Judge Amy Grace Gierhart imposed the maximum available sentence of 40 to 90 years in prison.
Because Garza has already served more than four decades in custody, he is now eligible for parole. Any decision on his release will be made by the Michigan Department of Corrections and the Michigan Parole Board.
