On Thursday, October 19, 2023, a young man was handed a 45-year prison term for his role in the murder of his ex-girlfriend in January 2022.
The crime occurred in Houston near the home of the victim, Diamond Alvarez, in a neighborhood park. Diamond, 16, was out walking her dog when she encountered her attacker, Frank Deleon. At the time, Deleon was 17. Based on evidence provided, Deleon shot Alvarez 22 times, with a number of these shots happening after she was already down.
The reason for Deleon’s actions is believed to be tied to his infidelity. After betraying Alvarez’s trust, Deleon sought to prevent her from sharing this information. This was further evidenced by several text exchanges between the two where Deleon wrote, “Don’t ruin this for me.”
The court atmosphere was palpably tense, especially when Deleon, following a plea deal, confessed to the crime. This tension escalated after Anna Machado, Alvarez’s mother, delivered a poignant statement. She tried to approach Deleon, but was immediately stopped by a bailiff. Additionally, a brief disturbance occurred when an uncle of Alvarez moved towards Deleon, which caused a momentary clash between Machado and Deleon’s mother.
Though Deleon was initially expected in court on Monday, a car accident prevented his appearance, according to his lawyer. As a result, when he did attend court the following day, injuries from the accident were visible on him.
Anna Machado voiced her feelings about Deleon’s attitude, commenting, “All this time, he’s been laughing. ‘It’s a joke.’ But life is not a joke. My daughter’s life wasn’t either.” Her words illuminate the grief and pain felt by the family. She also spoke of the traumatic event of discovering her daughter, saying, “My son found her. Despite my efforts with CPR, she didn’t come back.”
Concerned about their safety due to threats online and the possibility of more violence, the Alvarez family chose not to attend on the day of Deleon’s sentencing. However, the district attorney ensured that any act of violence would be addressed. Alvarez’s aunt also expressed the family’s wish, urging everyone to seek peace and not retaliation.