Killer literature

Jr. susp courts interest with slay book

A suspected gang member awaiting trial in the machete murder of a Bronx teen showed up in court Monday carrying a truecrime book about the murder of a prosecutor.

Kevin Alvarez is one of 14 alleged Trinitarios gang members accused of dragging 15-year-old Lesandro (Junior) Guzman-Feliz from a Bathgate Ave. bodega and stabbing him to death on the sidewalk near 183rd St. in Tremont in June 2018.

Alvarez (photo), one of nine defendants with Bronx Criminal Court appearances Monday, appeared in court carrying a book entitled “In Plain Sight: The Kaufman County Prosecutor Murders,” a true-crime pageturner that chronicles the Texas murder of an assistant district attorney.

Prosecutors in the Bronx DA’s office had no comment on whether they thought Alvarez, who was 19 at the time of the murder, was trying to send a message or a threat, even as Alvarez made no attempt to hide the book. Alvarez’s attorney, like all the lawyers on both sides, is under a gag order issued by Judge Robert Neary, who warned them against speaking to the media.

“It’s so we have as pristine a jury pool as possible for both sets of defendants,” Neary said.

Junior’s mother, Leandra, was flanked by an NYPD escort and 10 supporters, plus two members of the Guardian Angels civic patrol group in red jackets.

During the 21⁄2-hour series of appearances, the mom looked distraught. She seemed to flinch when defendant Jose Tavarez looked her way as he was led out.

“I want justice for Junior,” the mom said later outside the courtroom. “I hope they give them 300 years.”

The defendants face murder, manslaughter and other charges.

Junior was hacked with a machete in what police and prosecutors believe was a case of mistaken identity. The bloodied teen stumbled to nearby St. Barnabas Hospital, where he died.

Authorities believe the suspects were targeting a rival gang member.

His death drew national attention after video was released showing him being dragged out of the store and stabbed. The JusticeForJunior hashtag went viral and put a national spotlight on gang violence.

The teen was a member of the NYPD Explorers’ Program — a group for youths interested in law enforcement careers.