Jury hears two sides in Hanover Park murder of pregnant mom

Rafael Alvarado may not be an altar boy, but he is not the coldblooded killer who bludgeoned to death his pregnant girlfriend Norma Favela and her unborn child last year in the couple's Hanover Park home, said Cook County Assistant Public Defender Calvin Aguilar during opening remarks Wednesday as Alvarado's murder trial got underway.

Aguilar urged jurors to "search for the truth," quoting 16th century French philosopher Rene Descartes, who entreated seekers of truth to at least once in their lives "doubt as far as possible, all things." Aguilar, in an apparent reference to illegal activities, acknowledged that his client "engaged in income-producing activities that carried a high risk" to pay the mortgage on Favela's Linden Street home and support several children: his own, Favela's two girls, and three others they were looking after for relatives. Court records indicate Alvarado was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for intent to distribute cocaine in 2004. Aguilar suggested that may have led prosecutors to wrongly point their fingers at Alvarado, 33.

"We're not disputing it's a heinous crime. We're disputing that he did it," Aguilar said.

Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Mike Gerber minced no words in portraying the savage nature of the crime and saying Alvarado is "guilty of the unimaginable, the unthinkable."

"It's not going to be an easy case," Gerber said.

He described the hammer blows to the head that took the lives of the 31-year-old Favela and her eight-month-old fetus, calling the attack "brutal and heinous."

"She was unrecognizable," Gerber said.

Prosecutors' first witness was Lucila Ramirez, who rented a room from Favela and testified that she encountered Alvarado at the front door at about midnight June 4, 2009 as she was returning home from her job at a fast-food restaurant. His short-sleeve shirt and jean shorts were covered in blood and there were scratches on his face, she said. When she asked what happened, he told her he had argued with Favela. Ramirez also said Alvarado told her not to call the police. Feeling afraid, she returned to work where her manager called Hanover Park police.

In the meantime, prosecutors say Alvarado went to the home of his friend Gerardo Lechuga, who lived about a block from Favela. Lechuga's 18-year-old sister Miriam testified she answered a knock at the door to find a "desperate" Alvarado wearing bloody clothes and with scratches on his arm. Alvarado told her he had killed Favela and asked her to wake up Gerardo, Miriam Lechuga said.

Under cross examination, Lechuga said Alvarado appeared drunk to her. Like Ramirez and several other prosecution witnesses, Miriam Lechuga testified that she never saw Alvarado behave violently and that he treated Favela and her children with respect.

Gerardo Lechuga testified that Alvarado initially asked to be driven to the Mexican border, then asked to be driven to his uncle's house in Melrose Park. During the ride, Alvarado admitted killing Favela, Lechuga said.

"I became nervous. I thought he was joking," said Lechuga, who attributed the red stains on Alvarado's clothes to paint.

Alvarado's uncle, Jesus Herrera, testified that he allowed his nephew to shower at his home and gave him clean clothes to wear. Herrera said Alvarado appeared drunk when he told him that he hit Favela with a hammer and that she was dead. He asked to be driven to the border, said Herrera, who agreed because he wanted Alvarado out of his house. As they began to pull out of the driveway, the police arrived, Herrera said.

Hanover Park police officer Santos Diaz testified that he arrested Alvarado at Herrera's home after receiving information from Gerardo Lechuga about Alvarado's whereabouts.

Under cross examination, Diaz testified he did not speak to Alvarado as they drove back to the police station and did not give him his Miranda warnings. He also acknowledged that Alvarado requested an attorney during processing but did not ask to use the phone to call one. Under redirect, Diaz told jurors that he didn't question Alvarado, but Alvarado spoke to him, asking: "How long am I going away for?" and "How is she doing?" Diaz responded by reading Alvarado his Miranda rights, after which Alvarado again asked about Favela.

In an apparent bid to discredit prosecution witnesses, defense attorneys questioned the immigration status of several of them. Additionally, several prosecution witnesses were unable to make a courtroom identification of Alvarado. Testimony continues Thursday in Rolling Meadows courtroom 109.