Man Accused Of Burning Girlfriend Denied Bond
MIAMI (CBS4) –Jesus Alvarez, the man suspected of lighting his girlfriend on fire and causing her subsequent death, appeared bruised and bandaged before a bond court judge Tuesday morning.
Alvarez was denied bond.
Alvarez was taken into custody Saturday and charged with first-degree murder, according to Miami-Dade spokesman Det. Alvaro Zabaleta.
Alvarez's girlfriend Margarita Blanco died from her injuries sustained in the March 9th incident, police said.
Blanco was allegedly being beaten by Alvarez, outside her mobile home on the 2200 block of Northwest 27 Ave. and ran inside for protection early Wednesday evening. Alvarez followed her inside and that is where the alleged burning took place.
Detective Roy Rutland said last week the woman had been chased through the trailer park as Alvarez beat her.
"There was a short period of time where this man disappeared, we believe that is the point he went and retrieved five gallon container of fuel, gasoline, at that point it appears he continued to beat her," Detective Rutland said. "That is when he doused her with fuel, we believe it was gasoline, but we're still waiting for results, and set her on fire."
On Friday Blanco's mother, Julia Mendez, described the attack.
"He came in and took her out by the hair. He grabbed her and punched her over and over and right there he threw her on the floor while punching her," Mendez said.
Miami-Dade Police say Alvarez is a career criminal.
(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
