HOUSTON — An arrest has been made in the shooting death of a 16-year-old girl who was gunned down while walking her dog near a park in southwest Houston.
The Houston Police Department said Frank DeLeon Jr., 17, has been charged with murder in the death of Diamond Alvarez.
EDITORIAL NOTE: The above video originally aired Jan. 12.
According to police, Alvarez and DeLeon were in a romantic relationship but Alvarez had recently learned that DeLeon was romantically involved with someone else.
The two met at a park near Alvarez's home. That's when DeLeon allegedly shot Alvarez 22 times, mostly in the back, according to prosecutors.
DeLeon was taken into custody Monday and expected to make his first court appearance on Tuesday.
In court Tuesday afternoon, DeLeon's bond was set at $250,000.
Alvarez's family said they were relieved to hear he is behind bars.
Investigators want to question at least two more people who they believe were not involved in the shooting but were seen getting in and out of a dark-colored vehicle that arrived at the scene just minutes after the shooting.
If you have any information on these individuals or have any details you can provide on this case, please call the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.
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 Diamond, they knew something was terribly wrong.
The family went to go search for Diamond 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," Diamond's mother, Anna Machado, said. "I tried so hard to keep her alive. I couldn't, I couldn't."
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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.
A memorial had been created for Alvarez at the place where she died. Detectives moved the bears and other momentoes on Tuesday so they could collect more evidence.