Desmond Herrera’s family opposes bond reduction for suspect in murder

The family of Desmond Herrera held a demonstration in front of Travis County’s Blackwell Thurman Criminal Justice Center Saturday afternoon, opposing bond reduction for the man accused of murdering Herrera. 

Herrera was stabbed to death in Southeast Austin on September 4. Police found him in a ditch on Burleson Road. Approximately two weeks later, the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force arrested Stephen Alvarado for first-degree murder. 

In court documents, police write that the two 25-year-old men knew each other prior to Herrera’s murder, and may have had previous violent encounters. 

Herrera’s brother, Isaiah Herrera says he was “baffled” by Alvarado’s bond reduction. “I feel like my brother’s life was definitely worth way more than that. He was only 25, he had so much more life left to live and he had so many people that just loved him and supported him.” 

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The family started a petition, titled “Justice for Desmond!!!” On the page, they write “we feel it is unfair and unsafe to have a murderer walking the same streets as us, being able to go any and everywhere he pleases especially due to the fact that we all reside in South / Southeast Austin.” 

Herrera’s sister, Mikayla Herrera says she hopes her brother “gets the justice he deserves.” Adding “he was too good of a person for someone to just be walking the streets that took him away from everyone.” 

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Herrera’s mother Tiffany Herrera describes him as positive, fun-loving, and the “life of the party.” She says he was “always laughing” and “having fun.” “He was really goofy, and that’s coming from his mother. He was really just a big goofy kid at 25.” she smiled. 

Now, she says she cries “every day, for my child, my kid, his brothers, his sister, they cry every day for their brother, his dad cries every day. Desmond didn’t deserve this. He didn’t, and the person who did this to him needs to pay to the fullest extent of the law.” 

As of Saturday evening, Alvarado had not posted bond.

He remains in the Travis County Jail. 

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