Angelica Salazar ALVAREZ
Classification: Mass murderer
Characteristics: Parricide
Number of victims: 4
Date of murders: November 14, 2006
Date of arrest: Same day (suicide attempt)
Date of birth: September 19, 1979
Victims profile: Her four children, Jennifer Lopez, 8, Gonzalo Lopez, 6, Daniel Valdez, 4, and Jessica Valdez, 2
Method of murder: Strangulation
Location: Elkhart County, Indiana, USA
Status: Pleaded guilty. Sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on September 23, 2007
Alvarez sentenced to life without parole
By Justin Cripe - GoshenNews.com
September 24, 2007
An Elkhart mom who pleaded guilty to killing her four children was sentenced to life in prison without parole Monday morning in Elkhart County Circuit Court.
Angelica Alvarez, 27, was charged with four counts of murder following the death of her four children — Jennifer Lopez, 8, Gonzalo Lopez, 6, Daniel Valdez, 4, and Jessica Valdez, 2 — who were found strangled inside their Elkhart home in November. As part of a plea agreement, she pleaded guilty to the charge on Sept. 4 of this year after being found competent to stand trial.
Prior to sentencing, defense attorney Juan Garcia told Circuit Court Judge Terry Shewmaker that Alvarez has expressed remorse for her actions.
“In spite of what she did, I don’t want anyone in the public to think that she is a monster,” Garcia said.
Prior to the deaths of the children, Alvarez left a note explaining what she had done and why. According to the note, Alvarez expressed that her husband was in the process of leaving her and she did not feel that she was capable to taking care of the four children alone.
Previous testimony had suggested that the children had been drugged before they were killed. Prosecuting Attorney Curtis T. Hill presented toxicology reports that showed that the children were not drugged. Hill argued that Alvarez was competent enough to know precisely what she was doing at the time of the murder, despite treatment at a state mental health hospital in Logansport.
“There was a clear conscious at the time. She had a plan and systematically thought it through and executed it. That equals murder,” Hill said.
Garcia told the court that Alvarez has “severe mental health issues” and noted that those suffering from physical health issues are “treated until they get better.”
“Mental health issues should be treated with the same severity as physical health issues,” Garcia said.
After sentencing, Gonzalo Lopez, the father of the two eldest children, spoke to the court about how the events have impacted him. He said that despite the events, he hold no ill will toward Alvarez.
“I have peace and tranquility and have forgiven her,” Lopez said through a translator.
Hill said that he would have preferred the death penalty for Alvarez, but opted against seeking it as punishment.
“This didn’t have to happen, but locking her up for the rest of her life does,” Hill said.
Alvarez stated through a translator that she has “sincerely repented and I accept my responsibility.”
Alvarez will be incarcerated at the Indiana Department of Corrections.
Angelica Alvarez agrees to lifelong sentence for killing four children
By Justin Leighty - Etruth.com
September 5, 2007
GOSHEN -- When Angelica Alvarez went to her basement the evening of Nov. 14, 2006, she didn't know her husband would be home in time to save her life.
It was a life she no longer wanted, one she tried to end right after she ended the lives of her four children.
It's a life she'll spend in prison or in a mental institution.
She pleaded guilty Tuesday afternoon to four counts of murder, one for each child, and she agreed to a life sentence without parole. She gave up any right to use her mental illness to seek a lighter sentence, and in exchange prosecutors agreed they won't seek the death penalty.
One of her attorneys, Juan Garcia Jr., shed some light on the details of what happened that night in Elkhart, both in court and after the hearing concluded.
It was his questioning before Elkhart Circuit Judge Terry Shewmaker that led to Alvarez's description of events.
"On that date," Garcia asked her, "would you agree that you decided to kill yourself and your four children?"
"Si," she said, dabbing her eyes. She began to cry as Garcia questioned her about details of the crime.
She took the four children to the basement.
"They were sleeping," she said through an interpreter. She said she gave them sleeping pills.
First she strangled 4-year-old Daniel Valdez. Then she strangled Daniel's 2-year-old sister, Jessica. Next was 6-year-old Gonzalo Lopez, half-brother to Daniel and Jessica. Finally their mother killed Gonzalo's sister, Jennifer, 8, in the same way, hands around the child's neck.
She wrote a note on her computer explaining the situation, then moved into another room. She laid the children's bodies on the floor and tried to kill herself.
She used an electrical cord to hang herself, but it didn't work, so she took several sleeping pills.
Explaining later, Garcia said, "It's rather complex what led to all of this. It's basically a situation where she was feeling overwhelmed," he said. She'd been to Elkhart General Hospital for mental-health issues, but after she got out "she was basically untreated," he said.
"She thought the children would be better off in heaven. That sounds odd to you and me, but that's where she was mentally at the time," Garcia said.
Her husband, Fernando Valdez, got home and found the children dead and thought his wife also was dead. She recovered at Elkhart General Hospital and was charged with four murders.
Shewmaker ordered two doctors to perform mental-competency evaluations at Alvarez's initial hearing. When those reports came back with split opinions, he ordered a third, then declared her incompetent in May.
She went to the state hospital in Logansport, where doctors saw improvement and declared her fit to stand trial.
After her admissions in court Tuesday, Shewmaker accepted the woman's plea deal and found her guilty of the four murders. He scheduled her sentencing for Sept. 27, though it's a formality, since he agreed to impose the life sentence.
Angelica Alvarez pleads guilty to murdering children
By Erin Logan - Wndu.com
September 4, 2007
A sad, shocking confession in court Tuesday as an Elkhart County mother pleads guilty to murdering her four children, all under the age of 12.
Last November, 27-year-old Angelica Alvarez' husband found her unconscious in their home and four children dead.
Alvarez will now serve life in prison in exchange for her guilty plea.
After learning the disheartening details of this case, some say life in prison is no exchange for a crime so gruesome.
While a mother walks in to court and pleads guilty to murdering her four children, ages 2, 4, 6, and 8--two fathers, who lived doors away from her wonder why.
Jermaine Jackson says, “One minute to see them there and the next they're gone. It's heartbreaking, terrible. They didn't even have a chance to see what middle school or high school was like.”
Ian Tomlinson says, “Anyone who can kill their kids, in my opinion doesn't deserve to live.”
Their hearts go out to Fernando Valdez, Angelica Alvarez' husband whose world has crumbled.
In court, Alvarez admitted to taking her four children in the basement, giving them sleeping pills, and one by one choking them to death. Then, she tried to hang herself.
Prosecuting Attorney Curtis Hill admits even though he thinks a plea bargain was the best answer, it was not an easy decision to make.
Hill says, “I'd be hard pressed to find you very many circumstances in which a case called for the death penalty more. Even if we sought a death penalty and received it, we're talking about serving several years of wrangling through the appellate courts and determining whether or not she possessed the mental capacity for a death penalty situation.”
Defense attorneys say after seeing Alvarez' tears in court and having many discussions with her, she is sorry for what she did and a letter she wrote explained her remorse.
Juan Garcia Jr. says, “The issue was not only did she want to kill herself, but her four children. Basically, she thought her children were better off in heaven. I know it sounds odd to you and me, but that's where she was mentally at that point.”
Alvarez is here illegally. She is from Mexico. But, the prosecuting attorney says since the crime was committed here, she will serve her punishment here--life in prison without parole.
Alvarez will be sentenced on Thursday, September 27th.
Mother charges in Elkhart murder
22 November 2006
Elkhart, Indiana (AP) - A mother was charged with murder Wednesday, a day after her four young children were laid to rest in a funeral attended by more than 300 people.
Elkhart County Prosecutor Curtis Hill said he was considering seeking the death penalty against Angelica Alvarez, 27, in the strangulation deaths of her children, Jennifer Lopez, 8, Gonzalo Lopez, 6, Daniel Valdez, 4, and Jessica Valdez, 2.
Hill said he filed four murder counts against Alvarez Wednesday morning in Goshen. He called the killings an "unspeakable event" and said he was considering the death penalty because of the multiple murders and the victims being under the age of 12.
Angelica Salazar Alvarez, 27, was not in court Wednesday morning when the charges of four counts of murder against her were announced.
Alvarez was released from Elkhart General Hospital this afternoon and transported to the Elkhart County jail. She is being held without bond. She has a court hearing later this afternoon.
Hill would not give specifics on how the children were killed and does not know whether investigators have a theory on motive, saying Indiana law does not require it to try the case.
"I don't think there's anybody on this earth that can suggest to me a reason for killing children. So I'm not too concerned about what motive might be there," he said.
Alvarez was found unconscious with a faint pulse on Nov. 14 in the basement of her Elkhart home next to the bodies of the four children, who Hill said were strangled. She will likely make her initial court appearance Nov. 30, and Hill said he did not believe she had an attorney.
Hill has not been impressed with the cooperation he has received from Elkhart General Hospital, where Alvarez was being treated for her injuries, he said. Hill would not disclose Alvarez' injuries but said he would not describe the case as a murder-suicide attempt.
"I would not consider this as anything other than a murder at this time," he said.
He said he had no reason to believe Alvarez was not competent to stand trial but that it would be up to the court.
Hill faced a Wednesday deadline to file charges after a magistrate found probable cause Friday to keep Alvarez in custody while prosecutors weighed the evidence.
Gonzalo Lopez, father of the two oldest children, has said Alvarez was depressed after losing her job and had been hospitalized for 12 days. Officials at Norco Industries, where Alvarez had worked as a housekeeper for three years, said she quit in mid-September.
Lopez earlier told the South Bend Tribune that he met Alvarez in Mexico and that they lived in Lazaro Cardenas, a port city in the state of Michoacan. A decade ago, Lopez and Alvarez moved near Elkhart to Goshen, where Lopez had family.
Hill said the Mexican consulate has been in touch with his office about Alvarez and said U.S. immigration officials also have inquired about the case. He said her citizenship status was not a concern.
"I don't think that really matters," he said. "I don't care if she is an American citizen, I don't care if she's a Mexican national, I don't much care if she is from the planet Mars, when you commit a murder of a child in Elkhart County you will commit a steep price."
Ind. Mom Charged With Murder of 4 Kids
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
By Tom Coyne, Associated Press Writer
ELKHART, Ind. — A woman accused of strangling her four young children was charged with murder Wednesday, a day after hundreds of people attended the youngsters' funeral.
County Prosecutor Curtis Hill said he was considering seeking the death penalty against the mother, Angelica Alvarez.
Alvarez, 27, was found unconscious with a faint pulse Nov. 14 in her Elkhart home next to the bodies of the children: Jennifer Lopez, 8, Gonzalo Lopez, 6, Daniel Valdez, 4, and Jessica Valdez, 2.
All the children had been strangled, Hill said. He didn't know if investigators had determined a motive and wouldn't disclose Alvarez' injuries, but he said he would not describe the case as a murder-suicide attempt.
Gonzalo Lopez, father of the two oldest children, has said Alvarez was depressed after losing her job and had been hospitalized for several days. Officials at Norco Industries, where Alvarez had worked as a housekeeper for three years, said she quit in mid-September.
Alvarez will likely will make her initial court appearance Nov. 30. Hill did not believe she had an attorney Wednesday.
Lopez told the South Bend Tribune that he met Alvarez in Mexico and they moved to Indiana about a decade ago.
Police: 4 Indiana Kids Were Suffocated
Friday, November 17, 2006
By Tom Coyne, Associated Press Writer
ELKHART, Ind. — Four young children found dead in the basement of their home were suffocated, police said Wednesday.
The children, two girls and two boys ages 2 to 8, were found dead Tuesday alongside their unconscious mother, Angelica Alvarez, who remains hospitalized under sedation, police Capt. Steven Mock said.
An autopsy determined they died of asphyxia, and the deaths have been ruled homicides, he said. Mock did not say how detectives think the children were suffocated.
He said detectives were reviewing records of police visits to the home that involved custody disputes between Alvarez and Gonzalo Lopez, the father of the two older children. Mock said detectives have interviewed Lopez but that they were not focusing their investigation on any particular person.
He said detectives found no sign Alvarez took part in killing the children. Firefighters said tests for carbon monoxide were negative.
Fernando Valdez, the father of the two younger children, discovered the bodies.
Ambulances that had left the home Tuesday night in the city 15 miles east of South Bend were called back 45 minutes later after Alvarez was found to have a faint pulse, police Sgt. Bill Wargo said.
At the corner of the home Wednesday, people left flowers, teddy bears and notes in memory of the four children.
Sylvia De La Cruz, a sixth-grader at Woodland Elementary School where two of the children were students, left several teddy bears, a rose, a cross and a note that read: "We will miss you very much."
"I just wanted to show that I really cared," she said.
Ind. Mother Arrested in Deaths of 4 Kids
Thursday, November 16, 2006
By Tom Coyne, Associated Press Writer
ELKHART, Ind. — The mother of four young children found dead in their home was arrested Thursday in connection with their deaths, police said.
Angelica Alvarez, who was found unconscious next to the bodies of her two daughters and two sons in the basement of their home Tuesday, was placed under arrest in the hospital where she has been in critical condition. Prosecutors have until Wednesday to decide whether to charge her, authorities said.
An autopsy found the children, ages 2 to 8, died of asphyxia, and police have ruled the deaths were homicides.
Alvarez, 27, was in custody at Elkhart General Hospital, police Capt. Steven Mock said. He did not give details on her injuries but said she was expected to live.
Mock did not say what led police to believe Alvarez may have been involved in her children's deaths.
"Details, including physical evidence, leading to this probable cause arrest will not be answered,"Mock said.
A magistrate was expected to review the case Friday to determine whether police had probable cause to keep Alvarez in custody, said Bill Wargo, chief investigator for the Elkhart County prosecutor's office
The bodies were found by Alvarez's husband, Fernando Valdez, who ran into the street and yelled for someone to call police, authorities said. Police initially thought Alvarez was also dead but later discovered she had a faint pulse.
Records of calls made to police from the home show custody disputes between Alvarez and Gonzalo Lopez, her ex-husband and the father of the two oldest children, police said.
