Hartford

Mom of Man Killed in Hartford in 2015 Calls for Witnesses to Come Forward

The state is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information on the death of a man who was shot and killed in Hartford in October 2015 and the man’s mother is making a plea for anyone with information to come forward.

On Oct. 21, 2015, Police responded to 7 Cherry St. at 10:16 p.m. and found 19-year-old Ricardo Rivera lying near the entrance of the home with a gunshot wound in his head. Medics rushed him to St. Francis, where he was placed on life support. He died of his injuries.

“Ricardo was my baby. I have three kids. Ricardo was the baby and you took my son away from me,” Ricardo Rivera’s mother, Maria Rodriguez, of Manchester, said

At the time of the shooting, the family lived in West Hartford and Ricardo Rivera was hanging out with friends, according to his mother. He was also a father and left behind a son who is now 3 years old.

A second man was also shot three times, but survived.

To date, no witnesses have come forward and there was only minimal evidence recovered.

“It’s not right that the people who were there with him don’t want to say anything or speak up or say what happened. It’s not right,” Maria Rodriguez said.

The state is offering up to $50,000 for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in the case.

“We do realize that there was a lot of witnesses on scene and we do want those witnesses to come forward,” Lt. Paul Cicero, of Hartford Police Department, said. “Thankfully in cooperation with the state of Connecticut, we recovered a $50,000 reward and that will be presented to the person that leads us to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the death of Mr. Ricardo Rivera.”

Anyone with information can contact the Hartford police Major Crimes Division Lt. Paul Cicero at 860-757-4179 or the anonymous tips line at 860-722-8477.

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