A California man is behind bars after police say he murdered his grandmother and his father’s spouse while they opened Christmas gifts.
The shocking killings took place on Christmas Day as the family gathered at a home in Reedley. While they exchanged presents, 23-year-old Austin Alvarez opened fire inside the home, fatally striking his grandmother, 58-year-old Magdalena Alvarez, and father’s girlfriend, 39-year-old Meisa Rashid. When leaving the house, he spotted his father inside of a parked vehicle and began firing at him, though he was not hurt. Deputies responded at around 1:45 p.m., where they located the bodies inside the residence.
Alvarez fled in a GMC truck but was arrested hours later, nearly ten miles away from the home where the shooting had taken place.
Alvarez was charged with two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. His bail has been set at $2.5 million.
A clear motive has not yet been established in the killings.
