Teen accused of shooting his girlfriend, Diamond Alvarez, 22 times is back in custody

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Teen accused of shooting his girlfriend 22 times is back in custody

Frank Deleon Jr. posted his $250,000 bond back in January. Records say Deleon failed to comply with his bond conditions when he missed curfew and is now back in custody.

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- The 17-year-old boyfriend of a teen girl who was shot 22 times and killed in southwest Houston has violated his bond requirements and is back in custody, records show.

The video above is from a previous report.

Houston investigators believe 15-year-old Diamond Alvarez was gunned down in her neighborhood park on Jan. 11 by her boyfriend, 17-year-old Frank DeLeon Jr., after she found out he was cheating, according to court documents.

In court, prosecutors said that when officers arrested Deleon, a suitcase was found in his room, packed with enough belongings for more than an overnight trip.

Deleon posted his $250,000 bond on Jan. 19 after being charged with Alvarez's murder, according to court records.

According to family members, Deleon was violent against Alvarez in the past, including punching her in the face and pointing a gun at her.

The couple was together for six or seven months, and the relationship had recently ended, the prosecutor said in court.

Under his bond conditions, Deleon cannot have contact with anyone involved with the case, including the other alleged girlfriend, any witnesses or their family members. He was granted house arrest with a GPS monitor.

On Monday, records show Deleon failed to comply with curfew requirements and is now back in Harris County custody.

An online petition has gained more than 24,000 signatures. Houston advocacy group, FIEL Houston, also joined the family in their march for justice.

"We have to have a leveled playing field in our criminal justice system," said Cesar Espinosa, the executive director of FIEL Houston, in a previous report.

Alvarez's family argues DeLeon Jr. should have never been given bond because he was found with luggage on him and, in their mind, that makes the suspect a flight risk.

"Why is he free? Is her life worth only $250,000? To us, it's worth a lot more because we're not even getting justice. He's free, and he lives in the same neighborhood as the mother's family. So why is he free? The family has been harassed. Why has he not revoked the bond just yet? We ask for justice for (Alvarez)," said Bianca Mejia, Alvarez's aunt.

NOTE: There have been discrepancies with the victim's age. HPD reported she was 16 years old, but family members told ABC13 she was 15.

Report a correction or typo