MIAMI (Court TV) — A young man whose mother and sisters were killed became emotional and had to be removed from the courtroom on Tuesday after he began yelling at the defendant.
Alberto Sierra sits in court on Oct. 6, 2026. (Court TV)
Alberto Sierra, 42, pleaded guilty to murder, burglary, kidnapping and abuse of a dead body in the deaths of his estranged wife, Gladys del Carmen Sierra, and her two daughters, Julia, 6, and Daniela, 4. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty and have been presenting testimony for more than a week to jurors, who will ultimately recommend life or death.
After days of testimony about the evidence that led police to the defendant and videos of Sierra offering the disturbing details of his crimes, the jury heard from family and friends of the victims on Tuesday.
“My mom was great. I didn’t get to see her as much as I wanted, because she was always working, but I knew that she cared about us, and she was always trying to make sure that we had what we needed,” Gladys del Carmen Sierra’s son testified. Remembering the girls, he said: “They were my sisters. We used to play with Nerf guns and toy Barbies in our rooms, and we would just be there messing around, doing whatever. And sometimes they would get on my nerves, because that’s what siblings do.” He began to cry. “At that time, it was just normal. I never thought I would miss that.”
@courttvlive gladys son outburst Michael Padrino Jr., the son of Gladys Machado, called out his stepfather, Alberto Sierra, saying that Sierra was the one who took his mother and sisters away from him. In November 2012, Sierra confessed to killing his wife and stepdaughters and hiding their bodies in a closet. Padrino had to be escorted out by a family member and stared at the triple murderer as he walked out of the courtroom. Download the Law&Crime+ app to explore the evidence in the Michael Padrino Jr., trial today! Link in bio @courttvlive. #MichaelPadrinoJr #trueCrimee#truecrimecommunity #Courttv ♬ original sound – Court TV
A witness became emotional while testifying on Oct. 6, 2026. (Court TV)
As the victims’ brother neared the end of his written statement to the court, he was overcome with emotion and struggled to continue before turning his attention to the defendant. “And you, you took them. You know you did!” he said, as prosecutors rushed to the witness stand, telling him to stop. As they tried to calm him, the witness yelled, “You know what you did!” before the jury was sent out of the courtroom. The witness sat with his hands balled into fists and his head on the table, sobbing as the panel left the room.
An advocate held the witness’s arm and led him out, past the defendant. Alberto Sierra sat silent and expressionless as the scene played out around him.
The prosecution then rested its case, and the jury was dismissed for the day. The panel will ultimately recommend whether the defendant should receive the death penalty or be sentenced to life without parole.
