John William Alvarado, 47, of Mechanicsville (2018 Booking Photo)
UPDATE 6/24/2024 @ 12:30 p.m.: According to court documents, on June 22, 2024, at 9:45 p.m., police responded to Nicholas Court in Great Mills, for the reports of shots fired.
Numerous officers responded to the area and made contact with an adult female victim, who was bleeding from the head and indicated she had just been assaulted.
The victim identified her ex-husband, John William Alvarado, 47, of Mechanicsville as the person who assaulted her. The victim advised she had been struck in the head with a handgun Alvarado was armed with. The victim said she did not know why she had been attacked, advising Alvarado was coming to the residence to exchange custody of their two small children.
Alvarado arrived in an unknown black passenger car, possibly a rental vehicle. Alvarado also fired two shots from a handgun.
The victim was transported by ambulance to the Maryland State Police hangar where she was transported to Capital Regional Medical Center for treatment of her injuries. The victim’s injuries were non-life threatening, but she was reportedly in and out of consciousness during initial contact with police and rescue personnel.
When a detective arrived on scene, they observed two spent casings found by patrol officers, the casings were PMC 45ACP brass casings.
Above the front door of the residence, a security camera was observed and appeared to be functioning as a red light was seen in the front of the lens, and a short time later the homeowner provided police with surveillance footage.
The video shows the victim walking out of the residence at 9:44: P.M., and as she walks towards a black passenger car parked on the far side of the parking lot Alvarado quickly exits the vehicle, racks the slide of a handgun, and immediately points it directly in the victim’s face. As the victim crouches down Alvarado grabs her around the head with his left arm and puts the muzzle of the gun to the right side of her head. He then strikes her on the head four times. The victim breaks free and turns to separate herself from Alvarado. Alvarado briefly turns towards the vehicle as if he is going to leave and then turns back to the victim and again points the handgun towards the victim’s face and walks towards her as she tries to create distance. The victim yelled stop as she was walking away. Alvarado states, “You try to do that s##t to me? I’ll blow your head off.” He then fires two rounds behind the victim as she is still walking away. The first shot was only a foot or two from her, and the second was approximately three feet from her. Alvarado then walks back to the car and drives away.
A criminal history was also run on Alvarado and due to a conviction on November 7, 2001, in Charles County Circuit Court for second-degree assault, and a conviction on November 25, 2020, in Charles County Circuit Court, the defendant is prohibited from possessing regulated firearms.
UPDATE 6/23/2024 @ 7:05 p.m.: During the evening of June 22, 2024, The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division responded to a reported assault at the 45000 block of Nicholas Court in Lexington Park.
Deputies spoke with the victim, who advised she was supposed to meet her ex-husband, John William Alvarado, 47, of Mechanicsville. When the victim approached the suspect, Alvarado exited his vehicle, pointed a loaded handgun at the victim, and proceeded to strike her with the handgun several times. Alvarado then discharged the handgun twice and fled the scene.
The victim was flown to an area hospital for treatment of her injuries.
Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Division responded to continue the investigation, and the subsequent investigation revealed that Alvarado had a previously disqualifying criminal conviction that prohibited him from possessing firearms.
On June 23, 2024, Detectives received an arrest warrant for Alvarado.
Detectives received information Alvarado was in the Leonardtown area, and with the assistance of deputies from the Patrol Division, a traffic stop was conducted where the suspect was taken into custody.
John William Alvarado, 47, of Mechanicsville was charged with:
- Attempted First Degree Murder
- Attempted Second Degree Murder
- Assault First Degree
- Assault Second Degree
- Firearm Use During the Commission of a Violent Crime
- Regulated Firearm Illegal Possession
- Loaded Handgun on Person
- Loaded Handgun in Vehicle
- Reckless Endangerment and related charges
Alvarado is currently being held at the Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Leonardtown.
UPDATE 6/23/2024 @ 6:00 p.m.: SMNEWSNET has learned an arrest has been made and will release any and all information to the public as soon as it becomes available to us.
UPDATE 6/23/2024 @ 4:15 p.m.: The suspect in the assault is still at large, SMNEWSNET has attempted to get an official statement from the sheriff’s office for the past six hours, but they refuse to release ANY information about the incident. The description of the suspect is unknown. It is also unknown if the suspect is still in the area, and if any caution should be taken by the public.
6/22/2024: On Saturday, June 22, 2024, at 9:46 p.m., police responded to the 45600 block of Nicholas Court in Great Mills, for the reported assault in progress with possible shots fired.
Police arrived on the scene to find an adult female suffering from injuries to the head after an assault. Deputies located at least one shell casing at the scene.
Emergency medical personnel was dispatched to the scene and a short time after their arrival, a helicopter was requested for the victim.
EMS transported the patient to the Maryland State Police Aviation Hangar in Hollywood to meet Maryland State Police Helicopter Trooper 7 who transported the female to an area trauma center.
The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office is investigating and updates will be provided when they become available.
