Jan. 19, 2004 — St. Thomas police have identified Saturday night's homicide victim as 30-year-old Renerio Rivera. Police spokesman Sgt. Thomas Hannah said early Monday morning that the "circumstances surrounding the 9:41 p.m. shooting remain sketchy." A motive for the shooting has not yet been established and while police are pursuing various leads, "We have not yet identified a suspect."
Rivera was shot in the head and chest. He died at the scene. Residents in the Lindbergh Bay neighborhood, where Rivera was killed reported hearing up to six shots ring out before Rivera was found on the roadside "bleeding profusely from the gunshot wounds." Hannah said the case is now in the hands of the Major Crime Unit with homicide detectives working to re-create exactly what happened. "They are pursuing every lead," Hannah said. "We will get to the bottom of what transpired there on Saturday."
Hannah asked anyone with information on the fatal shooting to call investigators at 715-5522, 774-2211 extensions 4144 and 4149 or the police emergency number 911. Rivera's death is the second killing in the territory this year.
Hannah could not identify another victim of an incident Saturday that occurred about the same time as the murder in Lindbergh Bay. "The call came in a minute before the Lindbergh Bay incident that someone had been shot in the Wintberg area," he said, noting it turned out to be an attempted robbery, according to the victim.
The unidentified victim was shot in the leg as he tried to flee his assailants. Though on Saturday night the victim was considered to be in critical condition, Hannah said later the injury appeared to be non-life-threatening. The victim remains hospitalized at Roy L. Schneider Hospital following treatment for the single gunshot wound. The investigation continues.
Back Talk
Share your reaction to this news with other Source readers. Please include headline, your name and city and state/country or island where you reside.
