Woman arrested, charged with killing boyfriend in small city near Columbia
A woman shot and killed her romantic partner overnight in Forest Acres, police alleged at a Thursday press conference, the year’s first murder for the small city just outside of Columbia.
Forest Acres police said Kristen Berger, 44, killed her boyfriend, Mauricio Garcia, 52, at the home they shared on Partridge Drive following a disagreement that led Berger to call 911 alleging Garcia hit her. Garcia was pronounced dead at a local hospital from a single gunshot wound to the head. The gun police say Berger used had previously been reported stolen by the Cayce police department.
Around midnight March 13, Berger called 911 saying she’d been hit by Garcia, but when police arrived they said they found no evidence and began to suspect that Berger was the one being abusive. Officers made an attempt to separate the pair, but both stayed in the house that night. Around two hours later, Berger called back to report an accidental shooting.
Berger has been charged with four felonies, including murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, possession of a stolen firearm and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Her bond had not yet been set as of 2:30 p.m. Thursday.
“This is a tragic and senseless loss of life,” said Don Robinson, Forest Acres’ police chief.
Police said Berger has a history of domestic violence, including two prior arrests and convictions in 2008 and 2014. In 2014, Berger stabbed a different partner in the left shoulder with a scalpel during a threesome the couple was having after she got angry when he kissed the other person involved, according to a police incident report. The 2008 arrest occurred in West Columbia, according to an incident report from the time.
When police responded the second time, they detained Berger and emergency medical services assisted Garcia before taking him to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Berger is being held at Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.
Last month, a man was arrested following a shooting near an elementary school in Forest Acres. The victims in that incident weren’t physically harmed and the suspect was charged with attempted murder.
This is a developing story.
This story was originally published March 13, 2025 at 3:20 PM.
