On Thursday, October 19, 2023, a court handed down a 45-year prison sentence to a man for the January 2022 murder of his former girlfriend.
The incident took place in Houston near the family home of the victim, Diamond Alvarez, 16, in a local park, while she was walking her dog. The assailant, Frank Deleon, was 17 years of age when he committed the crime and is currently 19. Details provided by the prosecution indicate that Alvarez was shot by Deleon 22 times, with several of these shots being fired after she had fallen.
The crime’s apparent motive was Deleon’s infidelity. After having allegedly cheated on Alvarez, it seems that his intent was to prevent her from revealing the truth. This account was further substantiated by text messages found between the two, with Deleon writing to Alvarez, “Don’t ruin this for me.”
The courtroom saw heightened emotions when Deleon, in line with a plea deal, admitted to the offense. After a moving statement from Anna Machado, Alvarez’s mother, tensions in the room grew. Machado made an attempt to approach Deleon, which was promptly stopped by a court bailiff. Simultaneously, Alvarez’s uncle tried to reach Deleon, which led to a short confrontation involving Machado and Deleon’s mother.
Deleon’s initial court date had been set for Monday, but he was unable to attend due to an unexpected car accident, according to his lawyer. When Deleon arrived at court on Tuesday, he displayed evident injuries from that accident.
Anna Machado, in a statement, expressed her frustration, saying, “All this time, he’s been laughing. Laughing, making fun, ‘it’s a joke.’ A life is not a joke. My daughter is not a joke.” This comment underscores the profound emotional impact on the family resulting from the event. During the proceedings, Anna Machado recalled the distressing moment of discovering her daughter’s motionless body. “My son found her,” she said. “I attempted CPR, but couldn’t revive her. I tried with all my might to save her but failed.”
In relation to Deleon’s sentencing day, the Alvarez family decided to be absent. Their absence was attributed to threats they had received on social media and their concerns about further violence. The district attorney emphasized that any violent actions would be addressed by the police. Meanwhile, an aunt of Alvarez spoke against seeking revenge, underlining the family’s hope for peace.
