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2008-07-17  ALPHARETTA AND ROSWELL REVUE & NEWS | Family of slain Azteca owner thankful for Roswell police
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| | by Jason Wright | |  |
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| | | ALVARADO (click for larger version) | |
July 29, 2008
ROSWELL — When the family of Lydia Alvarado heard the three suspects Roswell police believe were responsible for the Jan. 26 shooting of the beloved mother of two were behind bars, the moment was joyful but wrenching.
"It was a sigh of relief in a way," said Jesse Alvarado, Lydia's ex-husband. "When things like this happen, it brings up a lot of emotions that you just got over. You have to re-suffer them."
The couple had two daughters together, 11 and 13. Alvarado said both girls celebrated their birthdays in June without their mother for the first time.
"There's not a day that goes by those girls don't miss their mother," he said. "I can't tell you the hole they have in their hearts because of this."
Alvarado was among the nine members of the beloved shop owner's family on hand at a press conference held at Roswell's Police headquarters July 29. He was joined by Alvarado's five brothers and sisters and their families.
The press conference was called after Roswell police announced two days earlier that the final suspect wanted in the shooting, Joel A. Boyce Douglas, 25, of Jonesboro, was in custody. He was taken in by an Atlanta police SWAT team July 27 after an unarmed, 90-minute standoff at a house on Shell Drive in Atlanta.
The two other suspects in the case are David A. Perez-Luna, 31, of Riverdale and Samual A. Boyce, 30, of Douglasville. Perez-Luna he was arrested July 23 at an immigration office in DeKalb County. Boyce is in the Clayton County jail on unrelated charges.
All three are charged with murder, armed robbery, false imprisonment and aggravated assault in the death of Alvarado at the Azteca Grocery and Tacqueria, a popular spot for Latinos in Roswell's large Hispanic population.
Maria Flores, Alvarado's younger sister, began the press conference by reading from a prepared statement. She fought back tears as she recounted how Roswell police worked "tirelessly" to solve the case and picked up the "disheartened" family by assuring them finding Alvarado's killers was the department's top priority. But, she said, painful questions still lingered.
"We have to know why they did this," she said. "Why did they have to kill Lydia? Knowing these answers won't bring her back, but it will give us closure."
Art Macias, Lydia's brother, said the dedicated mother of two had begun talking about selling the store she'd run for 15 years and ending her lease on the building because of rising crime in the area. Tragically, she fell victim to it before she could make that decision.
"She had been followed home a couple of times," he said. "She thought something was coming."
The grieving brother hesitated to say whether the men knew Alvarado personally.
"It was probably just easy money for them," he said.
Macias said Alvarado, who graduated from Roswell High School and was well known in the community, was a dedicated mother who loved helping other people and donating her time to charity. And to brother Raul Macias, that was the bitter irony of the situation.
"If they had needed something, I'm pretty sure she would have helped them," he said. "You just wonder how something like this could happen to Lydia."
For now, the family considers the case closed and plans on attending any hearings involving the three suspects. Until that time, they all thank everyone who has stepped up to help the family in their time of need.
And on the tough question of forgiveness, Jesse Alvarado said he's still trying to figure out what to make of everything.
"God forgives, but can I?" he asked. "I guess I'll have to find it in my heart."
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A time line of the Azteca Grocery shooting
Jan. 26 — Three gunmen burst into the Azteca Grocery and Taqueria on Ga. 9 at 8:46 p.m., shooting owner Lydia Alvarado almost immediately in the chest. Employees call 911 one minute later. The men escape with an unknown amount of money.
Jan. 29 — Alvarado's funeral is held at Roswell Funeral Home.
Feb. 5 — Roswell police announce Alvarado's family has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the three men responsible for her death.
Early July — The first suspect in the case, Samual A. Boyce, 30, of Douglasville, is put in Clayton County Jail for unrelated charges. He will remain there nearly a month before being named as a suspect in the Azteca shooting.
July 23 — David A. Perez-Luna, 31, of Riverdale, is arrested at a DeKalb County immigration office for the Azteca shooting.
July 25 — Roswell police announce they have Boyce and Perez-Luna in custody for the January shooting. Officers remain tight-lipped about details in the case, saying a third man is still on the loose.
July 27 — Joel A. Boyce Douglas, 25, of Jonesboro is taken in by an Atlanta police SWAT team July 27 after an unarmed, 90-minute standoff at a house on Shell Drive in Atlanta. Police announce his arrest that day.
July 29 — The family of Lydia Alvarado holds a press conference to express their sorrow and thankfulness to Roswell police for apprehending the men they believe responsible for the crime. | |
Reader Comments
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Family of slain Azteca owner
January 12, 2009 | 02:26 PM
I recently ran into a friend of mine who mentioned the tragic news that Lydia was slain during an attempt robbery of her family business. I'm an old classmate of Lydia, when the Macias family lived in Chicago, Il. She attended Providence of God Catholic school and had many friends here. The family were all hard working people. Her father owned and operated a grocery store for some years. There was a group of us who all hung out together during our grammer school years. She was a very nice person and I wanted to pay my respects to the family who may or may not remember me. To her Husband and her two daughters, know that people here are praying for you during this time of great loss. God Bless you all and I will be lighting a candle for Lydia.
Frank Villareal, Chicago, Il
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