ST. CLOUD, Fla. – An Orange County Public Schools food service employee was arrested after Osceola County deputies said she tampered with evidence in a homicide investigation.
Jessica Rivera was taken into custody Thursday at Whispering Oak Elementary School in Winter Garden.
On April 11, deputies responded to reports of a shooting involving a vehicle at 5035 Kellchris Lane in St. Cloud.
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According to news release, deputies found a 19-year-old in the vehicle, identified as Nekko Herrera, though he was declared dead shortly afterward after being riddled with bullets.
The medical examiner’s office later ruled Herrera’s death a homicide, attributing it to multiple gunshot wounds.
On May 13, authorities obtained an arrest warrant for Orvill Osorio-Ortiz, charging him with first-degree premeditated murder. With the assistance of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, Osorio-Ortiz was located and arrested in Pasco County, where he was booked into the Pasco County Jail.
According to an arrest affidavit, the investigation revealed that the shooting stemmed from a personal dispute involving an 18-year-old and a 20-year-old man.
The 18-year-old, who is the son of Rivera, resided with his mother at the address where the shooting occurred, and had communicated with the 20-year-old via cellphone to arrange a fistfight. Although the 18-year-old later claimed he was no longer in the area, the 20-year-old arrived with four friends and passed by the residence where gunfire erupted, the arrest affidavit states.
Witnesses reported seeing a dark-skinned Hispanic male armed with a Glock-style handgun at the side of the house. Deputies said Osorio-Ortiz was seen pointing the weapon toward the vehicle and began shooting.
On May 15, an arrest warrant was issued for Rivera, who is the girlfriend of Osorio-Ortiz, on charges of tampering with evidence during a capital felony proceeding.
During Rivera’s arrest at the school, deputies said she tampered with evidence related to the homicide investigation.
Rivera was booked into the Orange County Jail but was later released on a $50,000 bond. A judge ordered her to not have contact with witnesses, victims, family members and Ortiz. The judge also said she cannot leave the country and gave her a curfew of 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
OCPS said Rivera “will not be returning to school.”