Three years later, the families who lost a loved one in the 2005 Metrolink disaster in Glendale have finally received some closure. 29-year old Juan Manuel Alvarez has been found guilty of 11 counts of murder and one count of arson. The verdict won't bring their family members back, but Susan McKoewn, whose husband was killed in the wreck, says she feels relief. After the ruling, she had this to say: "I am so relieved that I can go home tonight and tell my kids...the man that killed their father is being punished rightfully."
Alvarez had parked his SUV on the Metrolink tracks in Glendale and doused it with gasoline. He says he was thinking of committing suicide and bailed out at the last minute. A Metrolink train going 80 mph crashed head on into his vehicle, killing 11 people and injuring 180 others.I was sitting in the courtroom when the verdict was read and I have to say, watching the family members wiping tears from their faces was heartbreaking. Just outside the courtroom, many of them shared with me some special memories of their loved ones.
Tony Tutino, who lost his brother James, held on to a picture of the two of them...taken two months before the crash. He described their final goodbye.
"One of the things that was probably the most difficult for our family was that we didn't get a lot of closure when this happened because we never actually got to go see Jim and say our goodbyes. I had to say my goodbye through a coffin."
The victims' families will now have to wait until the penalty phase of the trial which is set to begin on July 7th. That's when Juan Manuel Alvarez will hear whether he'll face the death penalty or life in prison. You can watch my full report on KTLA.com.
