A trial date has been set for three former SAPD officers charged with fatally shooting a woman inside her apartment last summer. Jury selection is scheduled to begin on Sept. 20, with testimony starting on Sept. 24 for Alfred Flores, Nathaniel Villalobos, and Eleazar Alejandro.

In June 2023, Melissa Perez was shot and killed inside her Southwest Side apartment. SAPD Chief William McManus stated that Perez was experiencing a mental health crisis and was shot by officers while holding a hammer.

Flores and Alejandro were indicted on a murder charge, while Villalobos was indicted on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The department also released edited body-worn camera footage from officers at the scene after the shooting.

During a recent court hearing, a request for a continuance in the case was made by the new Civil Rights Division Chief Jeff Mulliner. The defense attorneys for the officers agreed to the continuance due to difficulties with lining up expert witnesses.

Despite the request, the motion for a continuance was denied by 187th District Court Judge Stephanie Boyd, and the trial will proceed as scheduled. The state had initially requested separate trials for the three officers, but for now, all cases will be heard together.

Following the hearing, defense counsel expressed surprise at the judge’s decision but acknowledged the need to move forward with the case. Mulliner, who recently took over the Civil Rights Division, will be handling this high-profile case as his first since assuming the position.