By JOSEPH G. LARIOSA

(© 2011 Journal Group Link International)

C HICAGO (jGLi) – More than two weeks after a Filipino American mother and her two children were strangled and bludgeoned to death by the mother’s boyfriend, who later committed suicide, Chula Vista, California, police still have no clue behind the grisly triple murder and suicide.

Filipino-American Mary Catherine Alvarez, 41, a divorced special-education teacher, and her two children, Angelica, 12, and Hamid, 11, were found dead separately in their bedrooms in their home at Otay Ranch in the southeast corner of Chula Vista hours after Catherine’s boyfriend, Alfredo Almonte, was found dead north of Chula Vista in the middle of the freeway in the early morning hours two weeks ago.

Capt. Gary Ficacci, chief of Chula Vista police investigation division, told this reporter over the phone that Almonte never left a suicide note before he jumped from a very tall bridge in the intersection of State Routes 125 and 54 by the Golf Course and Sweet Water Valley at about 5:30 a.m. on June 1. “We are still conducting further forensic investigations.”

So far all the police have was testimony of a neighbor, who heard “noise disturbance about relationships on Monday before the family (members) were found dead.” Ficacci said.

FATHER OF CHILDREN DEVASTATED

He added that from interviews with friends and families of the victims, Catherine was trying to break up from Almonte, 39, a construction worker from Dominican Republic. “This was the way he responded.”

Catherine, an American citizen, whose parents are from the Philippines, had earlier divorced her Mexican husband, Hamid Alvarez, Sr., who is now living in Mexico. Hamid Alvarez, Sr. is the father of Catherine’s two children – Angelica and Hamid, Jr. He was quoted in a report as being “devastated by the tragedy. If I got to go to hell to find him (Almonte), I will. That was not a man (Almonte). That was an animal and animals should be in cages.”

Catherine and her children must have been killed on May 30 or a few hours after a neighbor heard “disturbance.” Almonte decided to leap to his death two days later.

The California Highway Patrol, which found Almonte on the highway, traced the address of Almonte from the ownership papers of Almonte’s vehicle found near the scene from where he jumped.

The CHP went to a couple of addresses as the family moved one time prior to the latest address. “There, the CHP found at the address at Otay Ranch, ‘a nice community,’ three dead bodies and called our department,” Captain Ficacci said.

ROCKY RELATIONSHIP

C atherine was found strangled, beaten and had multiple injuries; Angelica was bludgeoned and beaten; while Hamid was strangled.

Weapons, instruments and implements are still being matched to injuries.

From information and thru continuing investigation and speaking with witnesses, “it was pretty clear relationship was not good, rocky for a while. There was indication Catherine tried to distance herself from Almonte for unknown reason. There was no complaint filed with the police. But there was one call that came from their previous residence where they all lived together. The boyfriend called but no report was taken because it was (a mere) disagreement,” Ficcaci added.

The family was buried at Chula Vista’s neighboring Glen Abbey Memorial Park & Mortuary in unincorporated Bonita, California after a Catholic Church rite. # # #

Editor’s Note: To contact the author, please e-mail him at: (lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net)