Judge Finds Sufficient Evidence For Thousand Oaks Man To Face Trial For Murder

Wednesday December 11, 2024

     Updated--Following a preliminary hearing Wednesday, a Ventura County judge ruled there is sufficient evidence for a Thousand Oaks man to face trial for murder in the stabbing death of another Thousand Oaks man.

     Now 31-year-old Alain Alvarez is accused of the May 22, 2022 stabbing death of 24-year-old Oliver Willis of Thousand Oaks.

     In addition to the murder charge, Alvarez is also facing a special allegation of use of a deadly weapon.

     He is being held without bail and will return to court on Christmas Eve to have a trial date set.

     The killing happened outside of an apartment complex in the 1800 block of West Hillcrest Drive.

     Deputies had responded to that location on a disturbance call involving a report of a fight between males and a possible stabbing.

      They found Willis on the ground suffering from multiple stab wounds.

     He was pronounced dead at the scene.

     Two days later, detectives identified Alvarez as a suspect and arrested him.

     According to court records, Alvarez has both felony and misdemeanor convictions for battery in gang-related cases as well as a drug conviction.

     Meanwhile, court records showed that the victim Willis was convicted and sentenced in 2019 in connection with a 2018 shooting in Simi Valley that wounded a person.