HAYWARD — A local resident who has been charged with strangling his wife did so just hours after a judgment sheet finalizing their divorce was filed in Alameda County court, as the two got together for a drink inside the home they’d shared, according to court records.
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Alvaro Sierra, 47, allegedly killed Tania Afanador, also 47, during a heated argument inside a home on the 27600 block of Eucalyptus Court in Hayward. He later told police the couple was in the process of divorcing, but court records show that on Sept. 23 — the day of the stabbing — their divorce was finalized through a judgment issued in a family law courthouse.
There’s just one catch: The court order says that the divorce judgment was a “default without agreement,” a legal mechanism for when one party doesn’t respond to the initial divorce proceedings. Since Sierra is the party who initiated the divorce, this raises questions as to whether Afanador was aware the divorce had been finalized before the two met up that day.
At few minutes after 10 p.m. that night, Sierra allegedly called a family member and confessed to killing Afanador, according to police. When officers arrived, Sierra was suffering from self-inflicted knife wounds to his wrists. He was hospitalized, then booked into jail on suspicion of murder. Prosecutors charged him a week after the stabbing, records show.
In a police interview, Sierra allegedly stated that after the two drank alcohol together, they began discussing their marital situation, and things devolved into an argument. He allegedly said he physically blocked Afanador from leaving the residence, and then stated “he had his hands near or on Afanador’s neck, and then she died,” according to court records.
Sierra has not yet entered a plea, but is scheduled to do so on Oct. 30, records show. He remains at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, where he is being held without bail.
If you or someone you know is struggling with feelings of depression or suicidal thoughts, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers free, round-the-clock support, information and resources for help. Call or text the lifeline at 988, or see the 988lifeline.org website, where chat is available.