Man arrested in shootings of El Paso lawyer couple says he executed ‘Satanists’
UPDATE: A police affidavit obtained by ABC-7 outlines an apparent motive for the shootings of a prominent attorney couple in their central El Paso home last year.
The court document contends that Joseph Angel Alvarez, whose arrest was announced Thursday, had “extremist religious beliefs” and believed he was "executing and exterminating pro-choice Jewish Satan worshippers" when he shot and killed 50-year-old Georgette Kaufmann and seriously wounded 48-year-old Daniel Kaufmann.
Alvarez told police that he thought multiple homes along Copper Avenue, including the Kaufmann residence, were part of “satanic activity” and that nearby Memorial Park was used to conduct satanic abortions.
“The defendant's belief was ‘to end the Satanic activity’ near the crime scene (Memorial Park) and acted out his manifesto by killing and shooting the Kaufmanns and by mentally fabricating the connection he believed the four corner houses on Raynor and Copper to have been involved in 'satanic activity,' because of their relative geographic location to the park.”
- Police officer wrote in an affidavit.
ORIGINAL REPORT: EL PASO, Texas – El Paso police on Thursday announced the arrest of a man for allegedly shooting a prominent attorney couple in their central El Paso home last year, killing the wife and seriously injuring her husband.
Joseph Angel Alvarez, 38, is charged with the murder of 50-year-old Georgette Kaufmann and the aggravated assault of 48-year-old Daniel Kaufmann.
Investigators contend that Alvarez, armed with a handgun, went to the Kaufmann's home along the 3000 block of Copper Avenue near Memorial Park on Nov. 14 of last year. That's when he allegedly shot Georgette Kaufmann multiple times, killing her, before shooting and wounding her husband.
Police haven't disclosed a motive for the attack and haven't indicated whether the shooting had anything to do with the couple’s jobs with the state attorney general’s office handling child support enforcement.
Judge Humberto Acosta ordered Alvarez held in the downtown jail on $2.5 million bond following his arrest by a police SWAT team on Wednesday outside the Papa Johns Pizza restaurant where he worked in the 8800 block of Viscount.
In a statement announcing the arrest, detectives said the investigation into the shooting of the couple remained ongoing and they urged anyone with information about the case to call police at 915-832-4400 or leave an anonymous tip by calling Crime Stoppers of El Paso at 915-566-8477 (TIPS).
