Grand Jury Declines to Indict in 9-Year-Old Girl’s Shooting Death
‘F*CKING BULLSH*T’
A Texas grand jury declined Tuesday to indict a man accused in the fatal shooting of 9-year-old Arlene Alvarez, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said. The jury no billed Tony Earls, 41, who was charged with aggravated assault after an incident in which he was robbed at gunpoint in February. He and his attacker exchanged gunfire, with Earls aiming at what he believed was the suspect’s vehicle. Instead, police said, it was the Alvarez family car, with 9-year-old Arlene in the backseat. She was struck by a bullet from Earl’s gun and died the next day. In an emotional Facebook post on Tuesday, the girl’s mother, Gwen Alvarez, slammed the decision as “FUCKING BULLSHIT,” adding that she felt “weak and nauseous.” Texas authorities are now focused on finding the suspect whose crime kicked off the tragic chain of events, with prosecutors offering a $30,000 reward for information leading to the suspect’s arrest. Tilman Fertitta, the billionaire owner of the Houston Rockets, has separately offered a $25,000 reward for information on the suspect, the Houston Chronicle reported.