Family Gathered to Exchange Gifts. Then Gunshots, Death

A Christmas Day party ended in tragedy for one California family, with a 23-year-old arrested for allegedly murdering his grandmother and his dad's girlfriend. Detectives say family members had assembled at the Reedley, Calif., home to exchange gifts when Austin Alvarez arrived. Per a press release from the Fresno County Sheriff's Office, "During the visit, Alvarez fired shots striking his grandmother (Magdalena Alvarez) and his father’s girlfriend (Meisa Rashid)." Both women, ages 58 and 39, respectively, died of their wounds.

He then left the house and allegedly spotted his dad in a parked vehicle and fired shots in his direction. Officers arrived at the house around 1:45pm. Detectives say they were told the suspect had taken off in a GMC pickup, reports the Fresno Bee; Alvarez was apprehended some 10 miles away. Sheriff’s detectives say they have not established a clear motive. Alvarez was booked into the Fresno County Jail on suspicion of two charges of murder and one of attempted murder, with bail set at $2.5 million. (More double homicide stories.)