Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
A Bristol Township man pleaded guilty earlier this week to killing his brother-in-law.
William Rivera, 64, pleaded guilty to murder in the third degree, possession of an instrument of crime and two counts of recklessly endangering another person, according to Deputy District Attorney Daniel Sweeney. Rivera remains in prison awaiting his June sentencing.
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Sweeney said Rivera could face 49 years in prison for the homicide.
Rivera was facing the charges after an investigation found he shot George L. Rodriguez, 59, of Trenton, with a shotgun around 3:30 a.m. on August 31 following a family reunion at 4401 Fayette Drive in Bristol Township.
Officers were called to the house and found Rodriguez dead in a pool of his own blood.
Credit: Erich Martin/LevittownNow.com
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According to testimony given by Detective Michael Slaughter at Rivera’s preliminary hearing, a 7-year-old boy and an adult woman were in the same room when Rivera fired the shotgun at Rodriquez, who was sitting on the living room couch. The adult woman in the room was later identified as Rivera’s “common law” wife and the boy was revealed to be Rodriguez’s son.
Rivera reportedly told investigators he had a disagreement with Rodriguez over the Labor Day weekend over an incident that happened at Christmas.
