Man Charged With Killing Teacher Said It Was Self-Defense

SAN DIEGO, CA — A man charged with gunning down his ex-girlfriend's fiance in North Park testified Thursday that the victim attacked him and threatened to kill him just before the fatal shooting.

Jesse Milton Alvarez, 33, is charged with murder for the Feb. 1, 2021, death of Mario Fierro, a Cathedral Catholic High School teacher who was shot multiple times outside his home as he was preparing to go to work.

Prosecutors allege Alvarez killed Fierro out of jealousy after discovering Fierro had gotten engaged to Amy Gembara, another CCHS teacher who Alvarez had dated for several years.

Alvarez, who admitted on the stand to having "an unhealthy obsession" with Gembara, testified Thursday that he sought to speak with Fierro on Feb. 1 in part to gain closure and move on from his fixation with his ex-girlfriend.

After seeing Fierro step out of his apartment, Alvarez said he walked up to Fierro, extended his hand and said, "Good morning, Mario. How are you? My name is Jesse Alvarez."

Upon hearing his name, Alvarez said Fierro "snapped" and became instantly angered, with "intense, white-hot rage in his eyes."

According to Alvarez, Fierro began swearing at him and said, "I'm going to (expletive) kill you," then grabbed him and tried to punch him, prompting Alvarez to back away and repeatedly ask Fierro to stop.

Alvarez testified that Fierro kept advancing, so he pulled out a gun in an effort to get Fierro to stop, but Fierro tried to grab the firearm. While the men grappled over the pistol, Fierro turned the firearm toward Alvarez and pulled the trigger, Alvarez testified.

The shot missed Alvarez, who testified that he was able to regain control of the gun and started firing, striking Fierro in the arm, then in the back with a second shot.

Alvarez said those shots brought Fierro to his knees, but Fierro continued to hold onto Alvarez and said again, "I'm going to kill you." Fierro then "rushed me again" and Alvarez said he began firing downward.

Fierro was ultimately shot six times, including two gunshots to the front of his head and two to the back of his head.

At the beginning of the murder trial that began last week, Deputy District Attorney Ramona McCarthy told jurors that after seeing a social media post announcing Fierro and Gembara's engagement, Alvarez began methodically plotting Fierro's death.

Alvarez carried that plan out in part by driving to Fierro's home in his brother's car, while leaving his cell phone at home, according to the prosecutor.

Alvarez testified that he took his brother's car because his car was not working.

He also said he left his cell phone at home because his phone was linked to his parents' phones. Alvarez testified that his family was aware of his fixation on Gembara and he was concerned they might see he was going to an unfamiliar address and believe he was attempting to meet with her.

Much of the prosecution's evidence during the trial delved into a number of internet searches Alvarez made after the engagement was announced.

Those included searches regarding whether police can track a person's cell phone or their car. He also searched for Fierro's home address and made various searches regarding how to kill people, including how to do it without leaving evidence, prosecutors said.

Twelve hours after the engagement post, McCarthy said Alvarez searched how to hire hit men. Later that day, he searched "how to shoot someone at their home address."

Alvarez testified Wednesday that many of those searches were not made with any serious intent of harming Fierro, but were conducted more as a way to vent his emotions. He conceded, though, that he harbored "bad fantasies of wishing that (Fierro) was gone or dead or not here anymore."
Alvarez faces life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted.

Attorneys are slated to deliver their closing arguments to the jury Friday morning.

By JASON KUROSU / City News Service