Brother-in-law named person of interest in St. Cloud woman's murder

Nicholas Rivera's parents, brother charged in woman's murder

A fourth family member has been named a person of interest in connection with the death of missing mother, Nicole Montalvo, in Osceola County, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Nicolas Rivera, 28, was arrested Friday on unrelated charges in Georgia. His sister-in-law's remains were found last week on his family's St. Cloud property days after the 33-year-old mother was reported missing.

Montalvo's estranged husband, Christopher Otero-Rivera, 31, and her father-in-law, Angel Luis Rivera, 63, have both been charged with first-degree murder. Montalvo's mother-in-law Wanda Nereida Rivera, 59, was also arrested last week and is accused of lying during an investigation.

Nicole Montalvo and Christopher Otero-Rivera

On Friday, Osceola County sheriff's detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Nicholas Rivera for eight counts of possession of child pornography. He is the son of Luis Rivera and brother of Otero-Rivera, deputies said.

Detectives said they found evidence of child porn while searching for Montalvo.

According to a news release, Nicolas Rivera is considered a person of interest in Montalvo's murder.

[RELATED: Court records show history of domestic abuse before St. Cloud woman's slayingMissing St. Cloud mother's remains identified; estranged husband charged, deputies say]

Nicholas Rivera was located in Newman, Georgia, on Friday by U.S. marshals and will be extradited to Osceola County.

Sheriff Russ Gibson said the 28-year-old was living on the property where some of Montalvo's remains were discovered. It's unclear why he was in Georgia when he was arrested, according to the sheriff.

Detectives say as the investigation continues they are focusing on two crime scenes in St. Cloud on Hixon and Henry J avenues.

Gibson said Monday medical examiners are still working to determine how Montalvo was killed. Gibson said she was dismembered and "the medical examiner's office is doing the best that they can do."

The sheriff said he plans to recommend the death penalty when the Sheriff's Office presents its case to the state attorney's office.

"I will be asking the prosecutor, personally, to keep the death penalty on the table," Gibson said.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to call the Sheriff's Office at 407-348-2222.


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