Armand Alvarez was an 18-year-old from Los Angeles who died on September 12, 2003, after being found with multiple gunshot wounds. Local authorities treated the incident as a homicide and the Los Angeles Police Department opened a full investigation.

Investigators initially faced a lack of eyewitnesses and limited concrete evidence. Several suspects were questioned early on but no arrests were made at first. Later, new forensic techniques applied to crime-scene evidence led to the identification and arrest of a suspect, who was charged with first-degree murder and illegal possession of a firearm. During the trial, testimony linked the killing to gang-related activity, and the defendant was convicted and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

Armand’s death drew attention to gang violence and its effect on young people in the community. If anyone knew Armand or has information that could add to the record of what happened, please come forward.