Bio

Teresa Alvarez was born in 1988 and grew up in Detroit, Michigan. Her family life was unstable when she was a child. Neighbors sometimes left Teresa and her older brother with their next-door neighbor, Margaret Theut, who cared for them.

When the children's mother died of breast cancer, custody was awarded to family members. In 1996, Teresa's great-aunt Janet Jenkins was given custody of Teresa. Margaret Theut adopted Teresa's older brother.

The family moved in and out of apartments. At times they lived in Rouge Park with Teresa's grandparents. Teresa and her brother spent parts of their childhood in that park.

Teresa finished high school. As a young adult she worked as a manager at a Taco Bell.

Murder Story

Seventy-one-year-old Margaret Theut of Detroit disappeared in November 2011. Neighbors grew worried when her gate was open, her television was on, and her dog was left alone. Her tan Impala was found about eight blocks away and was impounded by police.

In May 2012 a woman hunting for mushrooms near the Rouge River found what appeared to be human bones wrapped in a bathrobe and blankets. Dental records showed the remains were those of Margaret Theut.

Teresa Alvarez, born in 1988, was arrested in May 2012. Police said Alvarez had been convicted in 2011 of embezzling nearly $2,000 from the Taco Bell she managed and was on probation at the time of Theut’s disappearance.

Police said Alvarez planned for weeks to kill Theut to steal thousands of dollars Theut had saved. Investigators said Alvarez told friends that Theut had killed herself by overdosing on pills and that Alvarez attended a fake funeral.

A jury found Teresa Alvarez guilty of first-degree murder. Wayne County Circuit Judge Mark T. Slavens sentenced her to life in prison without parole on December 11, 2013.

The case lists one victim and took place in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan. The method of murder is not specified in the available reports.