A huge brawl broke out between the families of a killer and his victim after the mother of a dead teenager called the killer a ‘monster’.
Frank DeLeon Jr., 20, pleaded guilty Tuesday during a hearing in a Houston courtroom, admitting that he killed his 16-year-old girlfriend Diamond Alvarez 22 times as she walked the family dog in January 2022.
He is scheduled to be sentenced to 45 years in prison.
Alvarez’s mother, Anna Machado, spoke at the hearing. When she was done, she left a witness stand and walked toward DeLeon.
A bailiff stopped her, but Alvarez’s uncle attacked the killer, leading to a huge fight.
After order was restored, Machado did not regret her words, telling local media: “He is a monster in my eyes. That would never change. Did he look contrite at all? No. He laughed at me. (Like) it’s a joke. A life is no joke. My daughter is no joke.”
A huge brawl broke out between the families of a killer and his victim after the mother of a dead teenager called the killer a ‘monster’
DeLeon was sentenced to 45 years in prison for fatally shooting his girlfriend Diamond Alvarez, 16, after she confronted him about dating while he was in another relationship
She apologized for causing the brawl and admitted it was “wrong.”
Despite the fight, Machado said she was glad her daughter’s killer admitted to the crime.
“I fought for justice, and today my daughter finally has justice,” Machado said I LOVE. “Our lives have been at a standstill since that night. We’re like walking zombies. He got what he deserves and I’m going to focus on my family, and Diamond got her justice, and I just want to move on.”
Alvarez’s uncle was taken into custody after the fight, although it is unclear whether he was charged with a crime.
Video showed the uncle attacking the killer as three bailiffs and others in the court tried to stop the fight. A court security officer pulled out a Taser and pointed it at the uncle, although it is unclear whether it was used.
A bailiff pulled DeLeon away from the uncle as the judge quickly retreated from the courtroom.
At the same time, DeLeon’s mother began arguing with Machado.
Alvarez’s mother, Anna Machado, spoke at the hearing. When she was done, she left a witness stand and walked toward DeLeon. A bailiff stopped her, but the fight began
Alvarez’s uncle attacked the killer, leading to a huge fight (in the blue and white striped shirt) that bailiffs tried to stop
One court security officer produced a Taser, although it is unclear whether it was used to subdue the uncle
As court security knocked the uncle to the ground, another member of the gallery charged and began assaulting the uncle
That led to a second round of fighting, which the court had to try to end
DeLeon was pulled from the fight when he admitted to murder. He is sentenced to 45 years in prison
After court security placed the uncle on the ground, another woman ran from the gallery toward the uncle. That led to another battle as court security once again tried to gain control of the courtroom.
The whole incident lasted about a minute.
The scuffle was so intense that deputies from other courtrooms were forced to respond and ultimately broke protocol by leaving an accused domestic abuser in another courtroom, who then disappeared.
Michael Devon Combs, 32, was left alone without handcuffs and was able to loosen his leg irons before escaping. He had not yet been found as of Tuesday evening.
DeLeon accepted a plea deal in court Tuesday morning as he was scheduled to appear in court this week on the charges.
Diamond had went to meet DeLeon while she was walking her dog Peanut around 9:30 PM to confront him for dating her while he was in a long-term relationship with another girl.
According to Houston police, DeLeon shot her 22 times in the back.
Her family immediately became concerned after hearing gunshots and then discovering Peanut alone and covered in blood outside their door.
Diamond was discovered by her brother a few blocks from her home in southwest Houston, near a field used as a neighborhood park.
She was still alive and Machado attempted CPR in vain, with paramedics pronouncing her dead at the scene.
The scuffle started when Diamond’s mother Anna Machado tried to run to DeLeon after giving her victim impact statement
Diamond Alvarez (fourth from left to right) with her family members on New Year’s Eve
It is not the first time that the procedure surrounding the case has degenerated into chaos.
Judge Hazel Jones had to request security in her Houston courtroom after Diamond’s brother Abel Alvarez accused DeLeon during an earlier hearing.
During that hearing, families were in the courtroom for a hearing when DeLeon was released on a $250,000 bond but was taken back into custody after his ankle monitor showed he had left home confinement without alerting authorities.
Judge Hazel Jones reinstated DeLeon’s bond after the ankle monitoring company admitted it could have been a mistake, and the teen walked out of the courtroom with his family members.