It took less than two hours for the jury to find Angel Rivera and his son, Christopher Otera-Rivera, guilty of second-degree murder, abuse of a dead human body, and tampering with physical evidence in the death of Nicole Montalvo, Otero-Rivera’s estranged wife.
The verdict was read just before 6:30 pm Wednesday.
After closing arguments, the jury was dismissed at about 4:30 p.m. to begin deliberating, and it didn’t take long.
The Montalvo family was in the courtroom when the verdict was read.
During closing arguments, the prosecution said that the evidence proved the two men were guilty. The defense said that if Nicole Montalvo had been murdered on the Riveras’ property there would have been much more blood found.
Prosecutors said they plan to seek a life sentence for both men.
