Authorities Say Murder Suspect to Be Charged

David Alvarez, the man who led investigators to the body of 14-year-old Ventura County resident Kali Manley, will be charged with her murder possibly as early as today, authorities said.

But it is unclear if the case will be handled by local prosecutors. Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury has notified the state attorney general that he may have a conflict of interest in prosecuting the case against the 22-year-old Alvarez because Bradbury is a friend of the suspect’s wealthy parents.

“I know Mr. Alvarez because his parents, Marie and Eugene Alvarez, are friends and political supporters of mine,” Bradbury wrote. “We have each been in each other’s homes, dined together and ride horses together. . . . I wanted to bring the matter to your attention and to solicit your opinion.”

In the hours before her disappearance on Dec. 19, Kali was with David Alvarez at an Ojai convenience store where he flashed a gun and threatened another man, authorities said.

Alvarez remains in custody and murder charges are imminent, authorities said. Alvarez will be booked “within 24 to 48 hours for the murder of Kali Manley,” Capt. Mike Regan of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department said Monday.

Investigators refused to say how the girl was killed or release other details from an autopsy, citing the ongoing investigation.

Alvarez was a suspect in Manley’s disappearance from the beginning--even before he volunteered to lead investigators to the Oak View girl’s body Saturday--because he was the last person to be seen with the Nordhoff High School freshman, authorities said.

The night she disappeared, Kali was supposed to be staying over at a friend’s house, where no parents were home, authorities said. Kali’s girlfriend knew Alvarez, who showed up with another man.

Neighbors said the group could be heard partying that night. Beer cans flew over the fence and hip-hop music blasted from a stereo.

Shortly after midnight, Kali went to a nearby store with Alvarez and his friend to buy alcoholic beverages. A store camera shows Alvarez’s friend entering the store to make the purchase.

As Manley sat in Alvarez’s pickup truck, a man with whom Alvarez had an ongoing feud drove into the store’s parking lot, investigators said. They said Alvarez pulled out a gun and threatened the man. Someone called 911, but the group left before police arrived.

Kali, Alvarez and Alvarez’s friend drove to a mobile home, where the party continued, police said. They said that the friend fell asleep, and when he awoke, Alvarez and Kali were gone.