A California Man Went to a Gift Exchange. Instead of Giving Presents, He Fatally Shot His Grandma, Father's Girlfriend.
Austin Alvarez pleaded no contest to the charges and was sentenced to 114 years total in prison, officials said.
June 26 2024, Published 3:00 a.m. ET
A California man opened fire at a Christmas present exchange, killing his grandmother and father’s girlfriend. Now, a judge sentenced the man to decades in prison for the murders, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The shootings took place at a Christmas gift exchange in 2021.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office in California announced the arrest of Austin Alvarez, 26, in connection with the double murder. He was charged with two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, Front Page Detectives reported.
Around 1:45 PM on Dec. 25, 2021, Fresno County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a shots fired call at a home in Reedley, California. There, deputies found two women with gunshot wounds.
Police arrived at the residence after receiving a call regarding a child shot.
According to the Fresno County Sheriff's Office, the suspect, Alvarez, left the area in a GMC pickup before officers arrived.
Several police agencies searched for Alvarez and found him in nearby Orange Cove, and he was then taken into custody.
After days on the run, Foreman was arrested by police on Sept. 16.
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Witnesses said Alvarez arrived at the house, where some of his family members gathered to exchange Christmas gifts.
During the visit, Alvarez opened fire, hitting his grandmother — Magdalena Alvarez — and his father’s girlfriend — Meisa Rashid.
The number of inmates on death row has decreased from 63 in 2011 to 32, due to successful appeals and natural deaths.
Alvarez then shot at his father, who was in a parked vehicle, as the suspect left the house, according to the sheriff’s office. His father was not injured.
Police say they never determined the motive for the shooting. Court efforts tried to raise doubts about the mental health of Alvarez, but a judge previously ruled that he was mentally competent, KFSN-TV reported.
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On June 20, a judge sentenced Alvarez to a total of 114 years to life for the murders after Alvarez pleaded no contest to the charges, saying he would not fight the two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder any longer.
During the sentencing, Fresno County Superior Court Judge Geoffrey Wilson said, "Probation is denied, and the defendant is committed to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation."