Alvarez, in a Plea Agreement, Admits Strangling Oak View Teen

In a stunning turnaround on the eve of trial, murder defendant David Alvarez admitted Friday to strangling Oak View teen Kali Manley and prosecutors agreed to drop the remaining charges against him.

The plea agreement, reached after days of behind-the-scenes negotiations, gives Alvarez a glimmer of hope of being released from prison someday.

And it brings a welcome end to a case that struck a nerve in the serene Ojai Valley, where hundreds of people had searched for the missing girl and later mourned her death.

Manley, a 14-year-old high school freshman, disappeared from a sleepover at a girlfriend’s house on Dec. 19, 1998, after climbing into a truck with Alvarez and another man.

For more than a year after Alvarez led authorities to Manley’s strangled body, he maintained his innocence in the slaying.

On Friday, however, the 23-year-old Ojai man walked into Ventura County Superior Court during a hastily arranged hearing and pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree murder.

With his parents seated nearby, Alvarez answered a series of yes-and-no questions posed by Deputy Atty. Gen. Michael Katz. But Alvarez did not offer any explanation of how--or why--the crime occurred.

Attorney James M. Farley said his client may make a statement at a March 30 sentencing hearing.

“From the very beginning, David had always said he would admit that which he had done,” Farley said. “He is remorseful. She lost her life at his hands and he deserves to forfeit his life--and that in essence is what he is doing by his plea.”

Alvarez is looking at 25 years to life in prison when sentenced next month. He faced a possible life sentence without hope of parole if the case had gone to trial because of an allegation that he tried to rape Manley.

But state prosecutors agreed to strike the allegation and other charges in exchange for the guilty plea to murder.

The attorney general’s office took over the case at the request of Ventura County Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury, who bowed out because of his friendship with the defendant’s parents.

Bradbury, whose office rarely enters into plea agreements in serious felony cases, could not be reached for comment Friday. Katz said he notified the D.A.’s office prior to settling the case, but didn’t receive a response and was not expecting one.

Although charges were eliminated, Farley and Katz both said after Friday’s hearing that given the circumstances of the case they doubt Alvarez will ever be paroled.

“The chances for parole are very, very slim,” Farley said. “They just don’t let people out who have committed murder one.”

Katz said his office accepted the plea offer based on a belief that Alvarez will never get out of prison.

“We believe today that we have achieved justice for the victim’s family, punishment for the defendant and protection for society,” Katz said.

Katz said a new law passed in 1998 requires that murderers in first-degree cases serve the entire minimum sentence--not a percentage of prison time as permitted with other crimes.

That means Alvarez, who will get credit for the year he has spent in County Jail, won’t face a parole board for 24 years, when he will be 47.

Alvarez, whose parents own a chain of restaurants, was raised in the Ojai Valley. He attended private schools and rode horses.

He also had a reputation for liking younger girls--and a criminal record for battering his mother-in-law and resisting arrest.

Previous Arrest on Suspicion of Assault

Alvarez was arrested in August 1998 on suspicion of assaulting his then 19-year-old wife, Brooke. In court papers, she said Alvarez shoved her face into a bathroom mirror when she refused to have sex.

The charges were later dropped, and the couple have since separated. They have a 4-year-old son, also named David.

It was just four months after that alleged battery when Alvarez picked up Kali Manley from her girlfriend’s house in Ojai. According to court testimony, the two had never met.

But when Alvarez--described in court testimony by his ex-girlfriends as charming--arrived at the front door to visit Manley’s friend, Ashley, Manley walked outside with him and never came back.

Alvarez’s friend, Robert Miears, later told police that Manley drove with them to a nearby convenience store where they bought a four-pack of wine coolers and retired to a trailer owned by Alvarez’s family.

Once there, he said, Alvarez and Manley began drinking. Miears told detectives Alvarez and Manley later went into a master bedroom together. Miears said he awoke the next morning and found the two were gone.

One week later, after a community-wide search, Alvarez led authorities to a large drainage pipe cutting beneath a mountain road about 40 miles above Ojai.

Inside, investigators found the girl’s naked body. She had been strangled.

Manley’s parents declined to comment on the plea agreement. Reached at home, Holly Manley said they were saving their remarks for the upcoming sentencing hearing.

Thoughts and Prayers With Both Families

Paul Bergmann, pastor of Ojai Valley Community Church, said Charles and Holly Manley probably feel some relief that there won’t be a trial, but that their healing isn’t done.

“I don’t think anybody can understand where the Manley family is emotionally,” said Bergmann, who led Kali’s funeral service in December. “To what degree this promotes healing in their hearts, only they could say.”

Bergmann said his thoughts and prayers are with both the Manley and Alvarez families.

Eugene and Marie Alvarez attend services at the church regularly.

“It’s been a difficult time in their lives as well,” he said. “I am committed to praying for both families.”

Katz consulted with the Manleys before accepting the defense offer, which was made after Judge Rebecca Riley issued a series of rulings that favored the prosecution’s case.

“We first received this offer two weeks after the court made it clear evidence of prior sexual offenses would be allowed,” Katz said.

Farley had casually mentioned a possible plea agreement as he and Katz were walking into Riley’s chambers to discuss a jury questionnaire.

“I was surprised,” Katz recalled. He contacted Farley that night to learn whether the lawyer was serious, and at that point negotiations began, Katz said.

“We had to seriously consider it,” Katz said, explaining that he wanted to spare Manley’s family and friends the anguish of a lengthy trial.

Indeed, as news of the plea change spread through the Ojai Valley, friends of the slain teenager expressed relief that they would not have to relive the tragedy.

Jessica Humphrey, a 15-year-old sophomore at Nordhoff High School, was dreading the upcoming trial.

“Hearing this--it’s just great news,” she said. “It really brings a conclusion to it all.”

Jessica had been trying to forget about Manley’s death for a while, but knew all the pain and hurt would come flooding back when the trial began, she said.

‘He Deserves to Spend Life in Prison’

After learning of the plea arrangement, Jessica embraced her friend Erica Waugh, 15. Both girls had been friends with Manley since kindergarten. With tears clouding her eyes, Jessica said she believed Alvarez had killed her friend since hearing that he led police to her body.

“I just have so much hatred toward him and didn’t want him to get off after he did something so bad,” Jessica said, adding she wished Alvarez had led police to her friend right away. “Then maybe she would still be with us today.”

Erica, though also relieved that Alvarez finally admitted killing Manley, expressed frustration that he could get out of prison in 25 years.

“I hope he stays in there for a long time,” she said. “He deserves to spend life in prison. I don’t think he deserves parole ever. I’m just disgusted with David Alvarez.”

Erica spoke of the friendship she and Jessica shared with Kali Manley, telling of how they liked taking silly photographs, eating apple pie and camping.

“She was really sweet and always had a smile on her face,” Erica said. When the girls got to junior high, Manley began hanging out with a different group of kids, Erica said.

“She trusted too many people,” she said. “She should have realized that not everybody is so nice.”

Both girls have been raising money to build a memorial to Manley. With help from the community, Nordhoff’s Leo Club is building a trolley stop in front of the school that will include a time capsule with notes from friends and family.

Susana Arce, Nordhoff High’s assistant principal, said Manley’s slaying affected everybody in the school community. Several students participated in the search, and nearly two dozen students met with counselors to discuss her death.

Now that Alvarez has pleaded guilty, Arce said, there is finally a sense of relief.

“It really has brought closure to a very difficult time for a lot of people,” she said. “People were fearing a trial and bringing everything back up.”

Still, Arce anticipated the family would do everything it could to prevent Alvarez from ever being released.

“Some of the turmoil will end,” Arce said. “But it’s not totally closed.”

Key Dates in Kali Manley Murder Case

Dec. 19, 1998: Kali Manley, 14, of Oak View disappears after last being seen with David Alvarez, then 22, a man she barely knows.

Dec. 22, 1998: Alvarez is arrested on unrelated charges of brandishing a firearm and making a terrorist threat on the night of Manley’s disappearance.

Dec. 26, 1998: Alvarez leads authorities to Manley’s naked and bruised body, which had been dumped in a large drainage pipe north of Ojai.

Feb. 2, 1999: Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury turns over to the state attorney general’s office any future prosecution of Alvarez because of an appearance of impropriety linked to Bradbury’s friendship with Alvarez’s parents.

March 25, 1999: Alvarez is charged with murder and attempted rape. He pleads not guilty and remains in County Jail without bail.

July 27, 1999: On the first day of Alvarez’s preliminary hearing, a detective testifies that Alvarez snorted cocaine and sought other drugs just hours before strangling Manley. Alvarez is later ordered to stand trial on all charges.

Aug. 11, 1999: The state attorney general’s office said it would not seek the death penalty against Alvarez but would try to convince a jury to send him to prison for life without possibility of parole.

Sept. 4, 1999: Alvarez is arrested at the County Jail for allegedly punching another inmate during an altercation.

Oct. 8, 1999: A Superior Court judge refused to drop a charge of attempted rape.

Oct. 11, 1999: Prosecutors decide not to file assault charges against Alvarez for allegedly punching the other jail inmate, because the altercation was brief and the other prisoner was not hurt.

Dec. 17, 1999: Manley’s parents file a wrongful-death lawsuit against Alvarez . They also accuse other unnamed individuals of conspiring to hide evidence and withhold information.

Jan. 11, 2000: The prosecuting attorney argues during a hearing that audiotaped interviews of two women who were allegedly sexually assaulted by Alvarez repeatedly as teenagers should be allowed during trial.

Jan. 27, 2000: A Superior Court Judge agrees to allow two women to testify that Alvarez forced them to have sex.

Feb. 18, 2000: Alvarez changes his not-guilty plea and admits to Manley’s murder. Prosecutors agree to drop an attempted rape charge and not seek a special circumstance, which would have made him eligible for a life sentence without possibility of parole.