Alex Reyes Murder: How Did Jean Allen Die?

911 operators in Lake Forest, California, received a frantic phone call on January 28, 2006, informing them of a possible homicide at a nearby residence. The victim, Alex Reyes, was alive by the time first responders reached the scene, but his injuries proved too fatal, and he passed away the following day while still under medical care. Investigation Discovery’s ‘Deadly Women: Granny Gets a Gun’ chronicles the gruesome murder and follows the investigation that brought the perpetrator to justice. Well, let’s study the details surrounding the crime and find out more, shall we?

How Did Alex Reyes Die?

A resident of Orange County, California, Alex Reyes was just 26 years old at the time of his death. People who knew Alex insisted he was a kindhearted and generous young man who never hesitated to help others and maintained a friendly relationship with most. Although Alex was previously married to Leslie Jane Bieg, and the two even welcomed a son together, their marriage did not last. In fact, around the time of the murder, he and his ex-wife were involved in a custody dispute, and Alex was only allowed to meet his son under court authorization. Nevertheless, Alex’s close ones never noticed anything wrong with the divorce proceedings, and they had no idea that a tragedy would soon claim his life.

When 911 operators received a phone call about a possible homicide on January 28, 2006, they immediately dispatched a team of first responders to the location. Upon arriving at the crime scene, authorities found Alex lying on the ground bleeding profusely from what looked like two bullet wounds. His ex-wife, Leslie Jane Bieg, was also present on the scene, and the police figured that the victim had arrived at Leslie’s house for a court-authorized visit with his son. Still, seeing as how Alex was still alive, the police immediately shifted him to a local hospital, where doctors tried their best to save his life. However, the injuries were too severe, and while the victim passed away the following day, an autopsy determined that Alex was shot once in the head and once in the thigh at close range, eventually leading to his death.

Who Killed Alex Reyes?

Once the police realized that Alex and Leslie were going through a tough custody battle, the latter became a person of interest in the investigation. Not only was Alex attacked at Leslie’s residence, but she was present at the scene of the crime, which further strengthened suspicion. However, little did the police know that they were about to uncover a shocking secret, which would provide a massive breakthrough in the case.

While questioning Leslie, authorities came across her grandmother, Jean Ellen Allen, who was 81 years old. Jean was open about her disdain for Alex from the get-go and mentioned that she did not want him near her granddaughter or great-grandson. However, Jean then went on to drop a bombshell as she confessed to shooting Alex Reyes at close range with a .38-caliber revolver. She even turned the firearm over to the authorities and waited to be charged with the murder.

When looking into Jean’s life, authorities discovered that she disapproved of Alex from the very beginning. Moreover, Jean previously alleged that Alex had molested her great-grandson, which was the reason why all his visits had to be court authorized. However, readers should note that even though Alex was investigated, authorities never found any evidence that would suggest sexual abuse or molestation. On top of it, Alex himself refuted the molestation charges and insisted on his innocence up until his death. Hence, while the gun linked Jean to the murder, the police even had a complete confession on their hands, which made prosecution easier.

How Did Jean Ellen Allen Die?

When produced in court, Jean pled guilty to first-degree murder and insisted that the homicide was deliberate. Reports mention that Jean even refused to take up a defense but instead chose to accept her fate. In fact, she pled guilty against the advice of the public defender. As a result, the judge sentenced her to 25 years to life in prison in 2006. Incidentally, Jean was still spending her days behind bars at a California prison when she breathed her last in 2010.

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