Residents of Westlake Village, California, witnessed a horrific incident on May 20, 2000, when renowned Hollywood stuntman, Garrett Warren, was shot four times in his apartment. Although the stuntman was shot at from close range, he somehow managed to escape with his life, much to the surprise of doctors. ‘Dateline: The Plot Thickens’ chronicles the gruesome attack and focuses on the police investigation that got to the bottom of the incident. Let’s delve into the details surrounding the crime and find out more, shall we?
What Happened to Garrett Warren?
A renowned face in the filming industry, Garrett Warren was earning a living as a stuntman and martial artist at the time of his murder. While most talked about his dedication to his craft, Garrett was known to be a kindhearted and generous individual who treated others with kindness and was always ready to extend a helping hand. Moreover, even though he was married to Hollywood actress Claudia Haro previously, the couple was going through a bad divorce and even had a few arguments about the custody of their daughter.
Nevertheless, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and Garrett’s neighbors had no idea about the tragedy that would completely change the stuntman’s life. On May 20, 2000, Garrett was spending a quiet evening at home when his mother dropped in to take care of his daughter. Since Garrett and Claudia had already separated by then, it was not unusual for his mother to visit from time to time as the Hollywood stuntman was still getting used to being a single parent. However, Garrett was not expecting anyone else that night, and a sudden knock at the door left him pretty surprised.
Interestingly, once Garrett approached the door, he heard a stranger outside who seemed to have a question about a new Volvo he had recently purchased. Yet, the moment he peeked outside, the stranger brandished a gun and shot the stuntman three times, once each in his chest, neck, and left hip. On top of it, as Garrett fell to the ground, the attacker shot again, this time straight through the victim’s right eye. Battling excruciating pain, the father of one somehow got his mother’s attention, and the attacker even shot twice at the older woman before escaping the scene.
Without wasting any time, Garrett’s mother called 911 and even informed a few of his friends about the incident. Subsequently, emergency personnel airlifted the stuntman to a local hospital, where doctors worked around the clock to save his life. According to local reports, the injuries were pretty severe, and none of the doctors expected the victim to survive. Nonetheless, Garrett pulled through against all odds, even though his right eye was permanently damaged.
In the months following the incident, Garrett slowly returned to his everyday life, although he lived in perpetual fear and even donned a bulletproof vest when stepping outside. On the other hand, the police had no information about the perpetrator, as the leads they investigated all led to dead ends. In fact, the progress on the case was so slow that it was in danger of going cold until an unrelated drug bust in 2002 gave authorities the breakthrough they needed.
In 2002, police officers in San Bernardino were searching the car of restaurant owner Miguel Quiroz when they found Garrett’s picture and address in his trunk. Furthermore, the victim identified Miguel as the shooter, and the police wasted no time in arresting him for the crime. Yet, this was a mistake, as evidence soon proved that Miguel was not the gunman. However, the police were confident about the restaurant owner’s involvement in the crime, and after several interrogation sessions, they finally learned that Miguel was involved as a middleman in the plot. Hence, with the truth out, Miguel led officers to the hitman Jorge Hernandez and even revealed that Manny Haro was the one who came to him with the contract.
Manny Haro turned out to be Claudia Haro’s brother. Once questioned, he claimed his sister had asked him to get rid of Garrett. Manny also insisted that Claudia had accused Garrett of molesting their son, which made him even more confident about his decision. Thus, Manny then approached Miguel, who got in touch with Jorge and planned the hit. Nevertheless, after deciding to cooperate with the police, Miguel agreed to wear a wire while talking to Jorge. This recorded conversation provided detectives with the evidence they needed, and they subsequently arrested Manny Haro, Miguel Quiroz, Jorge Hernandez, and Claudia Haro for their roles in the attempted murder.
Garrett Warren Continues to Advance in His Stunt Career
Since Garrett was well on the way to recovery at the time of the arrests, he was able to stay present in court and even testified against the perpetrators during the trial. As a result, Miguel Quiroz got a 3-year suspended sentence in return for his cooperation, while Claudia Haro was sentenced to 12 years and four months in prison in 2012 after being convicted of attempted murder. On the other hand, Manny Haro was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole, and Jorge Hernandez was convicted of attempted murder and conspiracy, which netted him a 77-year to life prison sentence.
Although the trial’s outcome provided Garrett with the justice he deserved, the Hollywood stuntman claimed he could only start healing once he let go of the anger. Moreover, while on the show, Garrett also mentioned that he forgave Claudia as she made a mistake and was already being punished for it. In fact, the stuntman was left unaffected when Claudia earned parole in August 2019, even though he still bears the physical scars of the attack to this very day.
About two years after the attack, Garrett married a woman named Isa, and the couple became parents to three wonderful children. However, their marriage lasted for only a decade, and although Garrett is single as of the present, he remains a dedicated father while earning a living as a stuntman and stunt coordinator in the filming industry. On top of it, he loves sharing snippets of his exciting life on social media, and with Garrett now exploring the realms of directing and filmmaking, we wish him the best for the future.
Read More: Where Is Claudia Haro Now?
