A Los Angeles jury convicted a 29-year-old Compton laborer of 11 counts of first-degree murder Thursday for triggering the deadliest Metrolink train crash in history when he parked his vehicle on railroad tracks three years ago and fled.
Juan Manuel Alvarez, who could face the death penalty, showed no emotion as the guilty verdicts were announced in a downtown courtroom. Behind him sat at least half a dozen relatives of people killed in the crash, including some who had attended much of the eight-week trial despite its sometimes graphic testimony.
Eleven people were killed and more than 180 were injured in the Jan. 26, 2005, wreck near Glendale when a southbound Metrolink passenger train smashed into Alvarez's sport-utility vehicle, hit an idle freight train and crashed into an oncoming Metrolink train.
Alvarez testified that he never meant to hurt anyone but himself, describing his actions as an aborted suicide attempt. But prosecutors argued that Alvarez intentionally turned a peaceful early-morning commute into a scene of bloody carnage in a twisted attempt to get attention and win back the affections of his estranged wife.
The jury took little more than a day to convict Alvarez and also found him guilty of arson and a special circumstance allegation that makes him eligible for the death penalty. Jurors are expected to hear more testimony next month to determine whether he should be executed.
Several relatives of the victims expressed relief after the verdicts.
"He is a menace to society. He's a sick person. He's not sorry for any of this," said Susan McKeown, whose husband, Scott, was among those killed. "I'm so relieved that I can go home tonight and tell my kids, 'The man who killed your father is being punished.' "
Alberto Romero, 45, a machine shop supervisor from Rancho Cucamonga, embraced his cousin Henry as both men wept.
"Justice was served," Romero said.
Metrolink trains run each day behind his machine shop in the city of Industry, Romero said, serving as a constant reminder of the crash that took his uncle's life. He said life in prison would be a more significant punishment for Alvarez than death.
"He needs to think about it," Romero said. "And he's going to be amongst bad people too. I have a lot of hate inside."
But Tony Tutino, whose brother James was killed aboard the train, said he believed Alvarez deserved the death penalty.
"If you make those decisions, you need to pay," Tutino said.
