A man has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his ex-girlfriend’s fiancé in San Diego. Jesse Milton Alvarez was found guilty of first-degree murder and was sentenced to life without parole on Wednesday. The verdict came nearly a year after the court determined that he was responsible for the death of Mario Fierro, who was engaged to Amy Gembara. Fierro was shot and killed on February 1, 2021, just as he was about to leave for work.
Amy Gembara’s father, John F. Gembara, was the president and CEO of Washington Federal Bank for Savings, a family-run bank in Bridgeport. The bank had been in the Gembara family for three generations. However, John Gembara was involved in an embezzlement scheme, taking millions of dollars. Just days after the scheme was uncovered, he was found dead on December 3, 2017, in the bedroom of Marek Matczuk, a contractor who owed the bank millions. Gembara was found sitting in a chair with a rope around his neck. Soon after, on December 15, 2017, the bank was shut down by regulators.
In the San Diego case, 37-year-old Mario Fierro was a teacher at Cathedral Catholic High School, where Amy Gembara also worked. Less than two months after the school announced their engagement, Fierro was tragically shot and killed outside his home. According to the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, Alvarez had searched online for ways to kill someone, including phrases like “how to shoot someone in self-defense” and “how to kill your ex’s fiancé.” On the day of the shooting, he waited outside Fierro’s home for almost an hour before attacking.
Prosecutors revealed that Alvarez was obsessed with Amy Gembara after their breakup. He reportedly stalked her by showing up at her home, trying to contact her through mutual acquaintances, and even following her to Disneyland. His fixation on her became so intense that he took a job in the cafeteria at the high school where she worked. However, school staff recognized him from a security notice and had him escorted off the campus.
The murder of Fierro shocked the community, and the trial highlighted Alvarez’s disturbing behavior. His actions before the crime, including online searches and stalking incidents, played a crucial role in securing his conviction. With his sentencing, Fierro’s family and friends hope for some sense of justice and closure after the tragic loss of a beloved teacher and fiancé.
