Daniela Alvarez was a 15-year-old Hispanic girl who grew up in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood. A freshman at John Hancock College Preparatory High School, she was described as being very close to her mother, Karina Gonzalez, and her older brother, Jesus Emmanuel Alvarez. Daniela enjoyed spending time on her computer and with friends, and she and her mother shared a special bond, often joking and talking about school, homework, and life.
Her mother’s guidance was a source of strength that helped Daniela stay focused on her education.
On the evening of July 2, 2023, Daniela, her mother, and her brother returned to their home on South Millard Avenue. An argument soon began, with Daniela’s father, 67-year-old Jose Alvarez, accusing his wife of cheating on him. Karina told him to stop and went to sit on the living room couch with her children. Jose followed them, continuing his accusations and making threats. When 18-year-old Jesus told his father to stop or he would call 911, Jose walked to his bedroom, retrieved a Glock 9mm handgun from under his pillow, and returned to the living room. He then shot and killed Karina and Daniela as they sat together on the couch. Jose proceeded to the dining room, where Jesus was hiding under a table, and fired several shots, striking his son in the ankle.
The family had a long history of domestic turmoil. Jose had verbally abused his wife for years and had a history of alcohol and drug abuse. Less than two weeks before the shooting, Karina and her children had left the home, and she was granted an order of protection against her husband. The order should have triggered the revocation of his Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card and the removal of his gun, but the order was never served to him. The family moved back in on June 26 with the understanding that Jose would enter a rehabilitation program, but the abuse reportedly started again within days.
After being shot, Jesus managed to escape the house and call 911. A neighbor heard Jose yelling, “Where are you? Where are you?” before he went back inside. When police arrived, they found Karina Gonzalez, 48, deceased at the scene from eight gunshot wounds. Daniela had been shot twice and was rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Jose Alvarez was found inside the home and taken into custody.
Jose Alvarez was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, and one count of aggravated discharge of a firearm. He was ordered held without bail while awaiting trial. The tragedy exposed critical gaps in the process for removing firearms from individuals under orders of protection and inspired a legislative campaign led by advocates and Daniela’s brother, Jesus. In February 2025, Governor JB Pritzker signed "Karina's Law," named in honor of Karina Gonzalez, which establishes clearer procedures and timelines for law enforcement to seize firearms in domestic violence cases.
The criminal case against Jose Alvarez never went to trial. In May 2026, he died from stage-four laryngeal cancer while in custody. Following his death, the charges against him were formally abated, bringing the legal proceedings to a close.
