The second of three defendants charged in connection with a 2014 murder in Badger Basin — and subsequent mutilation of the victim’s body —  has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors.

At a brief hearing on Wednesday, former Powell resident Pedro Garcia Jr., 30, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting second-degree murder.

The deal, which involves prosecutors dropping and reducing the original charges, calls for Garcia to receive a 25- to 40-year prison sentence. Fifth Judicial District Court Judge Steven Cranfill will decide at a later hearing whether to accept the agreement and negotiated sentence.

During Wednesday’s hearing at the Park County Courthouse, Garcia testified that he’d helped his sister, Sandra Garcia, and John L. Marquez murder 30-year-old Juan Antonio Guerra-Torres “purposely and maliciously but without premeditation.” Pedro Garcia said Guerra-Torres, who was Sandra Garcia’s significant other, was killed sometime between Dec. 15, 2013 and Jan. 8, 2014.

Pedro Garcia said he drove Marquez to a site — charging documents say it was a pullout along Wyo. Highway 294 — where Marquez shot Guerra-Torres.

“Mr. Torres ultimately was killed through the actions of Mr. Marquez, is that correct?” court-appointed defense attorney Nick Beduhn asked his client.

“Yes, sir,” Pedro Garcia responded.

As part of the deal, Pedro Garcia has agreed to testify as a witness for the state against the 53-year-old Marquez.

Marquez, who’s charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty. At one of his first court hearings, Marquez said it was “ludicrous” that he’d been arrested on the charges; they were largely based on statements Pedro Garcia made to law enforcement in March 2015.

In charging documents, law enforcement officials quote Pedro Garcia as saying that Sandra Garcia asked him to kill Guerra-Torres after he became deeply indebted to dangerous drug dealers from Mexico who threatened their family; according to those charging documents, Pedro Garcia said he then recruited Marquez to kill Guerra-Torres and that Marquez fatally shot him, then dismembered the body with an ax.

Guerra-Torres’ mutilated remains — missing a head, left arm and right hand — were found on a remote Badger Basin road on Jan. 9, 2014; it took investigators months to identify him.

Sandra Garcia, 29, pleaded guilty to felony counts of aiding and abetting manslaughter and being an accessory after the fact to second-degree murder in October; she received a 10- to 18-year sentence As part of her deal, Sandra Garcia also has agreed to testify against Marquez.

No court hearings are currently set in Marquez’s case.