Friday night’s episode of the series “A Stranger in My Home” on the Investigation Discoverychannel focuses on a 2008 Palm Springs murder in which a Modesto man was among the last of six defendants to be convicted.
Daniel Carlos Garcia, then 30, was convicted Sept. 7, 2012, with co-defendant Kaushal Niroula of the stabbing death of 74-year-old Clifford Lambert at his Palm Springs home Dec. 5, 2008, and burying the victim in the desert, according to a news report from Palm Springs news channel KESQ. Less than a month later, Garcia was sentenced in an Indio court to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The hourlong episode, “Princes and Paupers,” draws from the 2013 book “Until Someone Gets Hurt” by Las Vegas author Tyson Wrensch and co-author Sherrie Lueder. An episode deskription on the Investigation Discovery website says Palm Springs socialite Lambert “has been living happily in his lavishly decorated house for years. But after looking for love, the lonely art dealer instead finds a vicious nest of thieves, con artists and murderers.”
In a news release, Wrensch said the story is “a real-life epic spanning a decade. From con artists and identity theft, to an international chase and numerous murders, ‘Until Someone Gets Hurt’ is a fast-paced look at a multilayered crime spree” in which Wrensch also was a victim.
The author told The Modesto Bee that Garcia’s role in the Lambert case included befriending the victim to obtain personal information needed for a con. The KESQ report on Garcia’s sentencing said, “Garcia met Lambert online the spring before he died, and Lambert paid for Garcia to travel from Northern California to see him. Garcia’s visit didn’t go well and he left earlier than planned, charging Lambert’s credit card when he upgraded his plane ticket to first class.”
The article says Garcia sent Lambert’s address and phone number to Niroula, who went to Palm Springs and posed as an attorney representing a wealthy New York family that had left Lambert money or valuable artwork in a will. While at Lambert’s home, Niroula let in two other defendants, one of whom stabbed the victim to death.
Lambert’s car was driven to the Bay Area, where Garcia started using the victim’s debit card to withdraw money, the prosecutor said.
Garcia was a best friend for five years until Wrensch, who worked as director of sales for several companies, went on what was to be a four-week trip, the author told The Bee. In the third week of his trip, he found his bank accounts had been drained. He came home early to find that someone had moved into his home, then realized the belongings he saw were Garcia’s. Garcia unsuccessfully tried to explain away the situation, Wrensch said.
“Princes & Paupers” will focus on Lambert and Niroula, a man from Nepal posing as a prince, who was the mastermind behind the series of crimes, Wrensch said. He said he and co-author Lueder will be seen throughout the episode, providing exclusive interviews and insight into what happened.
In Modesto, the show can be watched at 10 p.m. on AT&T U-Verse Channel 260/HD 1260, Charter Channel 134, Comcast Xfinity Channel 271, DirecTV Channel 285/HD 285 and Dish Channel 192/HD 192.
Deke Farrow: 209-578-2327