Deerfield Beach Murder Suspect Found in Alabama

About six weeks after a Honduran man, Elvin Sanchez, was found murdered in a residential neighborhood of Deerfield Beach, the man suspected of killing him is in custody. That suspect is 22-year-old Ronald Rivera, who was working as a carpenter in Birmingham, Alabama.

From the Broward Sheriff's Office news release:

Elvin Sanchez's body was found shortly before 9 a.m. when a man walked outside his residence in the 4100 block of NW 3 Avenue and saw him lying in the yard between a house and a duplex. The man checked to see if Sanchez needed assistance, then quickly realized he was dead.

Through their investigation, BSO homicide detectives determined that Sanchez had gone to a party the night of his death and had gotten into a fight with another partygoer. Ronald Rivera, 22, was identified as a suspect in the case, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

BSO Homicide Detective Efrain Torres received an anonymous tip on November 30 with information about a possible location for Rivera in Birmingham. The U.S. Marshal Service conducted surveillance and located Rivera at his carpentry job on Friday, December 12, and took him into custody. In an interview with BSO detectives, Rivera allegedly confessed to the crime. Detectives say Rivera killed Sanchez in retaliation for a previous altercation.

Rivera is schedule to be extradited to Florida to face the charge of second-degree murder. If convicted, he could spend up to 30 years in prison.