The man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend’s fiance in North Park testified Wednesday that a series of homicide-related internet searches he made were conducted as a form of therapeutic fantasizing with no basis in reality.
The searches — which included queries of how to hire hitmen, where to shoot someone in the head to ensure death, and how to kill your ex’s fiance — were made shortly after Jesse Milton Alvarez discovered his ex-girlfriend, Amy Gembara, had gotten engaged to another man.
Prosecutors allege Alvarez, 33, was obsessed with Gembara and upon finding a social media post announcing her engagement, Alvarez plotted to kill her new beau, Mario Fierro.
Fierro, a 37-year-old Cathedral Catholic High School teacher, was fatally shot outside his home as he was preparing to go to work on the morning of Feb. 1, 2021, about six weeks after the public engagement announcement was posted.
Alvarez is charged with Fierro’s murder and faces life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted. His defense attorneys have alleged that the shooting was committed in self-defense and that Alvarez has autism spectrum disorder, which they say affected his behavior regarding his break-up.
Alvarez took the stand on Wednesday and testified that while he was “shocked” and “crushed” to learn Gembara had gotten engaged, he said the internet searches were a way to vent his feelings and that he was not seriously planning to harm Fierro.
Alvarez conceded that he was angry and harbored “bad fantasies of wishing that he was gone or dead or not there anymore.” He admitted making searches “that I’m not proud of,” but described them as “very bad thoughts, but disconnected from reality.”
He also admitted to making numerous attempts to contact Gembara following their break-up, including after Gembara unsuccessfully sought a restraining order against him.
That included submitting multiple applications for jobs at Cathedral Catholic High School, where Gembara also worked as a teacher. He also reached out to numerous people Gembara knew in hopes of gaining her contact information.
Gembara testified last week that Alvarez’s persistence led her to change the locks at her home, install security cameras outside her residence and eventually move entirely. She testified that Alvarez was able to find her new addresses and mail her letters, tried to break into her apartment, and showed up unexpectedly on one occasion while she was at Disneyland with a relative.
Alvarez testified that he was “desperate to be seen by Amy” and explained that at the time, he was “blinded emotionally.”
He said though that “in hindsight, I absolutely recognize that this is all really ridiculous” and said his behavior was “well beyond the pale of anything reasonable.”
Alvarez said his already-fragile emotional state was further tested by a picture posted on social media in which Fierro and Gembara were seen having alcoholic drinks. Alvarez alleged Gembara had issues with drinking in the past and said the picture had “a triggering effect” on him, because he believed Fierro was taking advantage of Gembara’s vulnerabilities.
He admitted to searching online for what kind of vehicle Fierro drove and his home address and once finding that information, going so far as to drive to Fierro’s neighborhood and photograph several cars parked on the block.
Alvarez said he wanted to speak with Fierro about keeping Gembara away from alcohol and other substances and that he took pictures of the cars to verify Fierro actually lived in that area.
Alvarez is expected to retake the stand on Thursday afternoon.