Rikers Release Gone Wrong: Man Allegedly Commits Triple Murder Weeks After Early Release!
Ramon Rivera’s story took a tragic turn just one month after his release from Rikers Island, where he had been serving a sentence for burglary. Rivera, who had a history of arrests and mental health struggles, allegedly went on a stabbing spree in Manhattan, killing three people in a single day.
Law enforcement sources revealed that Rivera had previously expressed homicidal thoughts and was hospitalized for serious mental health issues. However, his mental health history seemingly did not influence the decisions made throughout his criminal record.
His prior arrests were mostly non-violent, including a burglary at a convenience store on Second Avenue. Rivera’s time at Rikers Island earlier this year appeared to reignite some of these underlying mental health challenges.
During his stay at Rikers, Rivera was sent to the Bellevue psychiatric unit twice. On May 6, while in the unit, he allegedly assaulted a correction officer. Yet, when he appeared in court three months later, there was no mention of this incident or his mental health issues. Rivera pleaded guilty to the burglary charge and was sentenced to 364 days in jail.
Had he served the full sentence, Rivera would have remained at Rikers until February 2025. Instead, the Department of Correction applied its “good behavior” policy, releasing him on October 17, after he had served just two-thirds of his sentence. This early release placed Rivera back on the streets of Manhattan.
On Monday, November 20, tragedy struck. The first attack occurred at 8:22 a.m. on West 19th Street in Chelsea. Rivera allegedly stabbed 36-year-old construction worker Angel Lata Landi in the abdomen outside a construction site. Landi was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Two hours later, police responded to another stabbing on East 30th Street, where 67-year-old Chang Wang was found with multiple stab wounds to his abdomen. Wang, who had been fishing along the East River, succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
The third attack occurred just 30 minutes later near 42nd Street and First Avenue. A 36-year-old woman, later identified as Wilma Augustin, was stabbed in the chest and arm. Augustin, a migrant living in a midtown shelter with her young son, was taken to the hospital in critical condition but later died.
Rivera was apprehended a few blocks away from the final crime scene. Police reported finding blood-stained clothing and two kitchen knives in his possession. Authorities stated that Rivera confessed to the stabbings, allegedly telling police he targeted individuals who appeared alone and distracted.
On Tuesday, Rivera was arraigned and ordered to remain in custody. The judge highlighted his criminal history during the hearing. Rivera’s public defender requested a mental health evaluation, though his legal team did not provide immediate comments on the case.
This tragic series of events has raised serious concerns about the early release policies at Rikers Island and the systemic handling of individuals with mental health challenges. Rivera’s case has reignited discussions on how to balance public safety with rehabilitation and mental health care for those in the criminal justice system.
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