GUILTY FL - Dr. Hector, 76, & Debra Rivera, 55, murdered in Avila mansion, 9 Jan 2012

this is a strange one...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ead-home-Avila-Tampa-Bay-gated-community.html

Hector Rivera, 76, and Debra Rivera, 55, who lived in the exclusive Avila community in Tampa Bay, Florida, were found dead after 8pm in an apparent double homicide.
A deputy said he responded to calls that shots were fired at the home and when he went to investigate he found the body of Dr Rivera in his front yard and the body of his wife inside.

According to the Times, to enter Avila, residents must have a bar code on their vehicles, and any visitors must pass through security checks.
The subdivision is surrounded by six-to-seven-foot walls and multiple surveillance cameras.

http://www.wtsp.com/news/article/23...a-Rivera-not-random-killer-still-on-the-loose

Investigators say it does not appear anything was taken from the home.

The sheriff's office is conducting an extensive investigation of what Sheriff David Gee called a "complicated crime scene."

Detectives are searching the 11,000 square foot home, along with a foot search of the neighborhood. The dive team is also searching the area ponds and lakes for any evidence.

Debbie Carter, spokeswoman for HCSO, says they do not believe the murders were random.

Wonder if it was somebody who lives in the same gated community? The surveillance cameras should be a help to LE also.

Not robbery, not random...sounds like someone with a grudge against the doctor and/or his wife...I see now he is retired so not about his work I guess...

First thing I have to say they are indeed going to a lot of trouble to search the area. I've seen less of a search on some missing kids cases.

From the link:

He also said that investigators are working through a 'complex crime scene'.
He said: 'The crime scene is a bit complicated. It’s going to take a long time. We’re going to do a very thorough job.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-Tampa-Bay-gated-community.html#ixzz1j5zmO9BJ

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That makes me think there is more to this than just two bodies at the scene. What else, rape, torture, mutilation or something?

The Dr. found outside. That makes me think he was meeting someone he knew or walking someone out. The gated community also points to someone he knew well. Either a relative or a neighbor who lived in the community too.

They say they are checking the neighbors and asking about private survellience cameras. Likely there will be some. And with the gate there will be records of anyone in the community, even the residents.

What time was the shots heard?

I wonder if it was a family member. Maybe someone was visiting their home and left with one of their cars.

So, no one saw anything?? Obviously ppl were awake and alert as this was before 8pm at night, the shots were heard and called in??? I mean naturally when one hears gunshots one would think that "ATLEAST" one of the neighbors would have been a position to look over at the home from which the gunshots sounded?? The man was in his front yard.. Just seems to me that someone saw something.. But then again maybe Im not understanding the layout of he neighborhood but rather speculating from the view I have of our neighbor(which admittedly is not in an exclusive gated community).. So, in now thinking about that issue it may in fact be that the neighbor's would not have a clear vantage point of looking out over at their neighbors and seeing him in his front yard.. I suppose the homes could be offset from the road and therefor the yard in which this deceased homeowner was not visible..

Still would think with the multi cameras and security check Point along with the immediate response upon the shots being fired.. IMO they've gotta have the perp(s) on camera, as well as the security officers being able to possibly Id if not the perp, then the car used to flee the scene..

IMO it certainly appears as tho this should be a case that has potential to be solved rather quickly..

So according to the security set up, the perp will be on record at least entering or they lived in the community. How good are the walls? any breaches. Gotta be a ton of cameras around.

Yes, I agree that the "complicated scene" leads me to believe there is an entire situation within this murder that we haven't a clue of, yet.. Hmmmm.. Complicated leads me to believe that the perp(s) spent a good amount of time at or around the home(the crime scene).. Anxious to hear more on what exactly is meant by "complicated crime scene".. Because husband deceased on front lawn and wife deceased in the home, both shot.. IMO sounds like a nothing unusual murder crime scene(typical for lack of a better word).. It being deemed "complicated" points in an entirely different direction.. Hopefully they'll be able to release more details after their initial investigation..

The fact that the wife had just returned from a trade show that evening and ran her business from home, could she have had someone with her when she returned? Was the husband trying to run from his home when shot? very strange. Were there adult children from the Drs. first marriage (if there was one).

Once detectives got inside the residence, it was obvious it was a homicide, Carter said.

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I was shocked to read that LE was not allowed to enter the home til 3am when a search warrant had finally been procured.. This was news to me as it clearly stated that due to the homeowners being deceased they must have a search warrant to enter the premisis.. I found that strange and didn't realize that to be a procedure when the occupants of a home are murder victims.. Of course I understand the logistics of it legally that should it reach the courtroom that they want all evidence to have been retrieved by the book, but I guess I'd just never heard of this having to be done before..

Also I am wondering what else was within the home that they saw upon their entering that made them certain "at that point"(and not before) that this indeed was a murder?? Meaning I believe upon their arriving with the husband deceased on the lawn that at that point they knew it was murder.. But they clearly state that upon their entering the home they were then certain it was murder.. Leads me to believe the inside of that home has a scene that none of the public yet know about.. KWIM!?.. Because then..

The crime scene is complex, Carter said, because of the size of the residence and because of where the bodies were found.[husband, front lawn and wife, a bathroom]

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In the above snipped quote LE state that it's due to where the bodies were found that makes it complex(front yard and bathroom).. So while those two locations do not alone make it complex IMO there is much more here about the inside of the home that we do not know..

The community gathered together once the alert came from security at about 10 p.m. last night. Neighbors were calling each other throughout the evening, checking on each other and making sure everyone was safe, they say.

Following the alert, security did what they were supposed to, one resident said, "That's the procedure. We know as residents that we're supposed to check our email for updates. They told us what to do and we did it."

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http://carrollwood.patch.com/articles/neighbors-react-to-double-homicide-in-avila-subdivision

The last snipped quote I found to be interesting but yet incomplete in it tells us that the neighborhood does infact have a security procedure in place should a circumstance such as this ever present itself.. The neighbor says they know to then check their email for further direction or information at which they then follow..

What was it they are saying they were directed to do regarding the security procedure?? As it does say they in fact did so, but doesn't explain what it is that they all did..

Anyone have any clarification about this detail??

fhc said:

The fact that the wife had just returned from a trade show that evening and ran her business from home, could she have had someone with her when she returned? Was the husband trying to run from his home when shot? very strange. Were there adult children from the Drs. first marriage (if there was one).

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I think that she was probably with someone when she went to the trade show.
That is usually a 2 person job. So, imo,she either has a missing business partner or a missing family member. And also, adult children came to mind as well. Sadly, when an elderly wealthy couple is killed, it often leads back to greedy kids.

At the wtsp link above is video and a picture of the multi-million $ home and shows why neighbors could not see what was happening...it is set off the road and has a lot of trees around.

I'm wondering also if this has something to do with the wife's return from her trip...she brought someone back with her or someone was following her?

One thing that could have indicated it was a murder after LE got inside is the lack of a weapon since both were shot.

On the security measures for residents, I imagine some of the things they were told to do were to stay inside, lock all doors and windows, activate their security systems, check where all members of family are...

katydid23 said:

I think that she was probably with someone when she went to the trade show.
That is usually a 2 person job. So, imo,she either has a missing business partner or a missing family member. And also, adult children came to mind as well. Sadly, when an elderly wealthy couple is killed, it often leads back to greedy kids.

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In the article I read no adult children were mentioned. However an adult nephew did make a quote about his aunt and uncle.

mysteriew said:

In the article I read no adult children were mentioned. However an adult nephew did make a quote about his aunt and uncle.

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If they don't have any living children then a nephew might be next in line.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlin...ound-murdered-in-exclusive-tampa-subdivision/

Adult children mentioned here

Hector Rivera was a retired doctor and his wife Debra worked from home selling jewelry and accessories. The couple had a son together and Hector had three children from a previous marriage, according to a family member.

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If they had a child together I'm guessing due to the couples age difference that child would be between 15-20 years of age.

Wow! From reading the article linked from the original article posted by SmoothOperator on post 9, seems their son and dil are going to be devastated. The mom helped introduce the son to his now wife. They all seemed like lovely people.

I hope they find out who did this. Did they ever find out who murdered the wealthy couple in was in Massachusetts? Last time I saw, they had no clue.

It's awful how people like this who live in well protected areas, have no known enemies and both are murdered.

May they both RIP and their family have the strength to get through the next few days.

:rose:

fran

Yes, IMO it's now clear that neighbors would not have been able to just easily glance over and see Rivera out front of his home.. It says there were several 911 calls placed from the neighborhood reporting *multiple* gunshots.. While the word "multiple" could very well mean only two gunshots for some reason IMO with several different callers stating there were "multiple" gunshots leads me to believe that there were more than 2 gunshots heard.. Of course that could be indicative of several different things, but one that comes to my mind due to Doc being out front of his home(reported in front lawn as well as reported in the actual driveway) makes me think it's possible that he'd escaped the inside of the home upon seeing and/or knowing of his wife being shot and killed(with atleast one or more gunshots).. Just thinking about possibilities..

Either way if he was in fact fleeing the home attempting to seek shelter/aid/help after his wife had been killed.. Or if he had been the initial gunshot victim for whatever reason that he was out front of his home at that time and then the perp enters or re-enters the home and then kills the wife.. Either way there would IMO have definitely been an atleast momentary lapse of time between the wife being shot and the doc being shot..
Unless.. Of course we are dealing with more than one perp here and IMO while not as likely it is however still a possibility..

Am just wondering about how many gunshots were heard and what, if any momentary lapse of time was there between the gunshot(s) of Mrs. Rivera and the gunshot(s) of doc??

As I said just thinking aloud on some of the possibilities of this case.. IMO I still believe that this case still stands a very good chance of a fairly quick resolution.. Hopefully the neighborhoods extensive and rather expensive hi-tech security cams, officers, check points, and procedures.. Combined with neighbors personal surveillance cams on their individual homes and property.. All of those things together will hopefully give LE excellent information and evidence that leads them to the perp(s)..

The jewelry angle is interesting. Jewelry dealers usually pack and follow a strict security lifestyle. Numerous jewelry dealers have gone missing or have been murdered. Usually when they trust the wrong people. One case in Phoenix, the guy got mixed up with a stripper and it was a set up between her and her BF.

I wonder about the difficult crime scene. Could be these people were tortured for cash or jewelry assumed to have been in the house. Alot of low lifes wrongly assume that wealthy people keep stacks of cash at home in a safe.

SuziQ said:

The jewelry angle is interesting. Jewelry dealers usually pack and follow a strict security lifestyle. Numerous jewelry dealers have gone missing or have been murdered. Usually when they trust the wrong people. One case in Phoenix, the guy got mixed up with a stripper and it was a set up between her and her BF.

I wonder about the difficult crime scene. Could be these people were tortured for cash or jewelry assumed to have been in the house. Alot of low lifes wrongly assume that wealthy people keep stacks of cash at home in a safe.

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And that one article said she 'worked from home' selling her jewelry. I wonder if she let someone come over and was robbed at that point. She probably was not working with diamonds or emeralds but silver and gold are very valuable these days.
Also if she just returned from a trade show she may have had a stack of cash from her sales there.

I wonder if another person lived in the home or was an extended guest there, besides Husband and Wife. Poss’ly a friend or relative. Poss’ly housekeeper, cook, etc.

The articles I read did not mention such a person, but…
If another person lived there, I imagine LE would want to examine that person’s living quarters,
whether it was a room, suite, guesthouse, or over-the-garage apt.

Did that person give consent to search own qrtrs?

Even if that person gave permission to search, LE might put on the belt and suspenders, to nail it,
in case it turns out that person was involved in the murders.
W/o consent from that person & w/o s/wrrnt, poss that evd from that person's living qrtrs cd be excluded in ct, imo.

Or LE might have gotten S/Wrrt for another reason.