Austin Alvarez Reedley California man shoots dead grandmother & father’s girlfriend as family opened Christmas presents. No known motive.
A California man has been accused of shooting dead his grandmother and his father’s girlfriend as the family was opening their gifts during a Christmas Day party.
Austin Alvarez, 23, turned up at his family’s home in Reedley on Saturday afternoon and pulled out a gun just as his relatives started exchanging presents, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said.
His grandmother Magdalena Alvarez, 58, and his dad’s 39-year-old girlfriend, Meisa Rashid were both struck and killed.
As he was fleeing the home in the wake of the shooting, Alvarez noticed his father sitting in his truck and allegedly started firing in the father’s direction, authorities said.
His father wasn’t injured.
Alvarez was captured by authorities in his GMC pickup truck about 10 miles from the home.
The California Highway Patrol and multiple local law enforcement agencies were involved in tracking him down.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office is still trying to determine a motive for the killings as the investigation remains ongoing.
Alvarez was booked into the Fresno County jail on two charges of murder and one charge of attempted murder.
His bail was set at $2.5 million.
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Det. Richard Antunez at 559-600-8221 or Valley Crime Stoppers at 559-498-7867 or www.valleycrimestoppers.org.
