HOUSTON — A man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend last year got into a fight with her family after he accepted a plea deal Tuesday morning in a downtown Houston courtroom.
Frank DeLeon Jr. was sentenced to 45 years in prison for the death of 16-year-old Diamond Alvarez, whom he killed in January 2022.
Initially, DeLeon didn't want to take the plea deal but he changed his mind once he and his lawyer realized that the judge was going to move forward with the murder trial on Tuesday unless he accepted the deal.
When Alvarez's mother, Anna Machado, took the stand to give her impact statement, she called DeLeon a "monster," and walked off the stand toward DeLeon before she was restrained by a bailiff.
Alvarez's uncle then charged DeLeon and another fight broke out between Alvarez's mother and DeLeon's mother. The families had to be separated.
Alvarez's uncle was taken into custody after the fight. It's unclear if he will be charged with anything.
Machado spoke to the media after the incident and said that DeLeon was laughing at her.
“He's a monster in my eyes. That would never change. Did he look remorseful at all? No. He was laughing at my face,” Machado said. “(Like) it's a joke. A life is not a joke. My daughter's not a joke."
After all was said and done, she said she was relieved.
"I've been fighting for justice, and today, finally, my daughter has her justice," Machado said. "Our lives have stopped since that night. We're like walking zombies. He got what he deserves and I'm going to focus on my family, and Diamond has her justice, and I just want to move forward."
She apologized for what happened in the courtroom.
Watch Machado's full comments below:
“That was wrong of me, that was wrong of us … because we’re not monsters … but it’s so much hate … because I want my daughter back, and what he did was horrible, seeing my daughter there and looking at him … knowing he did that, and him laughing at my face, it was very wrong and I’m so sorry for that,” she said.
DeLeon is expected back in court on Thursday for formal sentencing. He will have to serve at least half of his sentence before he's eligible for parole.
“This is a heartbreaking domestic violence case of a young girl who was murdered by someone she dated,” Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said. “Our office has devoted significant resources, including investigators, prosecutors and public service campaigns to raise awareness about the incredible danger of intimate partner violence to try to end horrible cases like this.”
Assistant District Attorneys Steve Walsh and Kim Garcia, who prosecuted the case, were scheduled to pick a jury this week when DeLeon took the plea agreement.
“It was a fair sentence to avoid making Diamond’s family relive the details and trauma of this murder in the context of a jury trial,” Walsh said. “This is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and we want to remind everyone that if you are a victim, or you know a victim, don’t be afraid to call the police. We want to be able to stop things before they get worse.”
What happened Monday
DeLeon was taken into custody after he didn't appear at the beginning of his murder trial. His attorneys told a judge the 19-year-old was involved in a car crash on his way to court. Instead, they said, he was at the hospital getting treated for a head injury.
Since he was a no-show, he forfeited his bond and was taken to the Harris County Jail once he was released from the hospital.
On Tuesday, it was revealed that DeLeon was actually injured in an ATV crash with his uncle before the trial.
What happened the night of the shooting
It was initially reported that Alvarez left her home on Tuesday, Jan. 11, to take her dog for a walk. Around 9:30 p.m., her family members heard several gunshots. When the family dog showed up without Alvarez, they knew something was terribly wrong.
The family went to search for her and that's when they found her shot multiple times in the 15400 block of Park Manor Street, which is near South Post Oak and Beltway 8.
"My son found her," Alvarez's mother, Anna Machado, said. "I tried so hard to keep her alive. I couldn't, I couldn't."
During an investigation, detectives learned Alvarez had agreed to meet DeLeon in their neighborhood park after she found out he was in another relationship. DeLeon was arrested days after the shooting and posted a $250,000 bond before being arrested again for violating his bond conditions. He was then granted bond again.
“I am mentally exhausted, physically, and emotionally. I’m going crazy here. I need him in jail and I need justice for my daughter. It’s not for us, it’s for my daughter, Diamond. I need her to rest in peace,” said Anna Machado, Diamond’s mother.
Diamond's stepfather, Tito Mozzygamba, said Alvarez was a good kid and a straight-A student who loved to play volleyball and basketball. She had dreams of becoming a cosmetologist. She attended Madison High School in the Houston Independent School District.