Wednesday, July 31, 2024

PONTIAC, Mich. - On Monday, July 29,2024, Oakland County Judge Daniel O'Brien sentenced Angel Jose Alvarez to 36 1/2 - 80 years imprisonment for his role in a 2018 murder. Two additional co-defendants in this case have previously pled and are set for sentencing on August 19 before Judge O'Brien.

Oakland County Prosecutor KAREN D. McDONALD charged Alvarez on April 8, 2022, in connection with the killing of the 20-year-old victim. 12 jurors unanimously convicted Alvarez of second degree murder in June 2024. The jury reached its verdict after hearing evidence that the defendant shot and killed the victim, dumped the victim in Osmun Lake, and then dumped the vehicle used in the crime in a different lake.

At approximately 3:30 pm on June 7, 2018, a blood trail along with some bloody clothing was found at Osmun Lake in Pontiac and 911 was alerted. After arriving, law enforcement discovered a deceased body in the lake, which they were able to connect to a stolen vehicle that had been dumped in Scott Lake the previous night. From there, law enforcement was able to connect the killing to defendant Alvarez.

At approximately 2:00 am on June 7, 2018, Alvarez drove to the victim's house in his mother's vehicle. A short time after the victim got into the passenger's side of the vehicle, the victim's sister heard multiple gunshots coming from the car before it sped off. The defendant then went to Osmun Lake where he dumped the victim's body, then to Scott lake where he dumped the car. After dumping the car, cell phone data shows that Alvarez called one co-defendant's cell phone multiple times to get a ride from the scene before then calling a second co-defendant's cell phone, who then reported the vehicle stolen.

Assistant Prosecutor Darcey Jacobs handled the prosecution for the people, with Assistant Prosecutor Sumeet Aggarwal assisting as second chair. The Prosecutor's Office applauds the diligent work of the Oakland County Sheriff's Office (OCSO) as well as the Waterford Police Department on this case.

"Public safety and holding criminals accountable are my top priorities as Oakland County Prosecutor and we will continue to work to keep our community safe from violent crime," stated Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald. "The jury verdict and Judge O'Brien's sentence ensure that the public will be protected from this violent defendant. While these three convictions will not bring back the victim's life, I do hope that the victim's family and loved ones takes some solace in the fact that those responsible for this murder were caught, convicted, and punished for their crimes."

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