Nicole Montalvo’s estranged husband, father-in-law found guilty in her murder

[Daily Mexican]

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ST. CLOUD, Fla. —
Jurors quickly returned a guilty verdict on Wednesday in the
murder trial of Christopher Otero-Rivera and Angel Rivera, who
were charged with killing Osceola County mother Nicole Montalvo
in 2019.

Christopher Otero-Rivera and his father Angel Rivera were found
guilty on all charges in Nicole Montalvo’s murder. They had been
charged with second-degree murder, tampering with evidence and
abuse of a human body.

The verdict was reached after only about an hour and a half of
deliberation. Prosecutors said they plan to seek a life sentence
for both men.

Montalvo’s family hugged each other and cried after hearing the
court clerk read the verdict.

Her family believes the verdict brings accountability for her
death and fulfilled a promise to her son.

"We promised her we’d get justice for her and we’d raise Elijah
in a safe healthy and happy environment," Steven Montalvo said.
"He’s been such an incredible kid these last 18 months, our
parents have done an amazing job."

Montalvo was last seen alive dropping off her son at the
Rivera's family property in St. Cloud.

One juror told WESH 2 News the most compelling evidence was the
fact that Montalvo’s remains were found on the Riveras' property.

"If you can find it on the property like that something is
wrong," the juror said.

One crime scene technician testified that she saw tire tracks in
the yard and followed them back to a trailer that was covered in
debris.

When they moved the debris out of the way they allegedly found
what looked like human flesh.

"Immediately upon discovering flesh, the fleshy material, a foul
odor was present. A very strong odor, and in addition to that,
flies began coming to the area," said Emily Seda, an Osceola
County Sheriff's Office forensics investigator.

Eventually investigators said they found many more samples and a
detective took them to a private lab in Deerfield Beach, along
with samples from Montalvo's parents. Investigators said they
had a match.

Soon after, the sheriff's office said it heard from a man who
lives down the street. That man told investigators he saw people
digging with an excavator at a property around the corner.

"The excavator was being operated by one person and there were
other people standing around the, whatever, it seemed to be a
hole," neighbor John Hall Jr. said.

Neither Christopher Otero-Rivera or Angel Rivera took the stand
during the trial. The defense for Christopher Otero-Rivera
essentially put the blame for Montalvo's murder on Angel Rivera,
saying all the evidence pointed to him.

During the trial, Otero-Rivera's mother and Angel Rivera's wife,
Wanda Rivera took the stand. She testified that she was on good
terms with Montalvo, who often left her son with the family.

"Did you exchange text messages often?" Wanda Rivera was asked.
"Would you say she even confided in you?"

"Yes," Wanda Rivera said.

Wanda Rivera said she found out from the news that Montalvo's
dismembered remains were buried on her property and doesn’t know
how they got there.

The brother of Christopher-Otero Rivera and son of Angel Rivera
also testified.

He had been expected to be an important witness because early in
the investigation, Nicholas Rivera told detectives he saw his
brother and father standing around Nicole Montalvo in a pool of
blood in the garage.

However, on the stand, he said he didn’t remember going home
from work at that time.

Prosecutors eventually got him to testify that he did wake up
late at night and saw his dad, outside the day Montalvo
disappeared.

<https://www.wesh.com/article/christopher-otero-rivera-angel-
rivera-guilty-nicole-montalvo/36191972>