North Dartmouth Man Sentenced to Life for Fatal 2023 Stabbing of Former Partner in Chelsea

Angel Alvarez was sentenced to life in prison for the 2023 murder of Margarita Morehead in Chelsea. Read the details of the case and the sentencing.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 11, 2026, 5:19 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Boston.com

Judicial Conclusion to a Fatal Domestic Dispute

A long-running case of domestic violence reached its conclusion in a Suffolk County courtroom on Monday. Angel Alvarez, 68, of North Dartmouth, was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to the second-degree murder of his former partner, 59-year-old Margarita Morehead. In addition to the murder charge, Alvarez pleaded guilty to assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and violating a protection order. The sentencing follows a change in plea from his initial 2023 "not guilty" filing.

Details of the 2023 Assault

The fatal encounter occurred on the morning of May 8, 2023, in Morehead’s Chelsea apartment. According to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office, the couple had been involved in a volatile relationship characterized by Alvarez’s "jealousy and hostility." Despite an active restraining order granted in October 2022, the two remained in contact.

When Morehead attempted to end the relationship and threatened to call the police to remove him from her home, Alvarez punched her in the face. Prosecutors stated that Alvarez became "enraged" when Morehead mentioned her daughter would see the injuries. He then retrieved a large kitchen knife and stabbed Morehead multiple times in the chest and back before fleeing the scene.

The Discovery and Police Pursuit