On the evening of January 14, 2015, in Wichita, Kansas, a family was shattered by a tragic act of violence. Uel Alvarado-Meraz, a 24-year-old Hispanic male, was found deceased in an apartment he shared with his twin brother. However, law enforcement records and news reports from the time clarify that the deceased individual was in fact Manuel Alvarado-Meraz, Uel's twin brother.
The events of that night would unravel a story of familial strife that ended in a double homicide.
Concerned family members, unable to reach Manuel and his 22-year-old wife, Lucero Rodriguez, went to their apartment in the 2800 block of South Emporia. Upon entering, they made a horrific discovery. Manuel and Lucero had been fatally shot. Neighbors later reported hearing gunshots around 7 p.m. that evening, but no calls were made to the police at that time. The scene inside the apartment was grim, with investigators recovering numerous shell casings.
The primary suspect in the double homicide was quickly identified as Luis Alvarado-Meraz, the identical twin brother of Manuel. Luis also resided in the same apartment. Following the discovery of the bodies, law enforcement began a search for Luis. He was apprehended the following morning, approximately 16 hours after the shootings.
The motive for the killings, as it emerged during the investigation, appeared to be rooted in a family dispute. Luis Alvarado-Meraz was subsequently charged with capital murder in the deaths of his brother and sister-in-law. In October 2018, a jury found him guilty. After a lengthy sentencing process, which included multiple post-trial motions, Luis Alvarado-Meraz was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
