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Christopher Otero-Rivera -
Angel Rivera -
Nicole Montalvo
The murder trial of two men accused of killing St. Cloud mother Nicole Montalvo is expected to begin Monday.
Christopher Otero-Rivera and Angel Rivera have been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Montalvo. Christopher was Montalvo’s ex-husband, while Angel was her father in-law.
The men were arrested in October of 2019 after investigators found Montalvo’s remains on the grounds of Angel’s St. Cloud home, where Christopher was also living.
The discovery at the Hixon Avenue property came about a week after Montalvo went missing. Her body was discovered about a week after the young mother disappeared.
“Nicole was killed and her body was cut into pieces and then buried by Angel and Christopher,” according to the arrest affidavit. But exactly how she was killed and who did it were not included the affidavit.
Last month during court testimony, an Osceola County forensics technician who searched the Riveras’ properties for evidence said pieces of tissue, bone, as well as a skull, hands and feet were found on the Riveras’ properties.
Investigators say they are the remains of Montalvo.
According to a court document, prosecutors said the Riveras allegedly paid the bond for a jail inmate to get out then offered him money to make Montalvo “disappear.”
After Montalvo was killed, investigators said Angel Rivera drove with Montalvo’s phone to Kissimmee and sent a false text from it to himself to make it look like she was still alive.
Officials also believe the pair used an appointment with Otero-Rivera’s probation officer to leave their home and get rid of Montalvo’s car in Kissimmee.
Charges were dropped against Wanda Rivera, the mother-in-law of Nicole Montalvo, after new evidence surfaced.
Wanda Rivera had been charged with being an accessory, evidence tampering and lying to law enforcement. She was Montalvo’s mother in law, and was arrested in May of 2020.
According to a State Attorney’s Office ruling, the new evidence consisted of cell phone analysis supporting claims the conclusion that Christopher and Angel removed Montalvo’s vehicle from the property on the morning of Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019.
“This new evidence is inconsistent with the evidence upon which the charges were filed that supported the State’s belief Wanda Rivera assisted Angel Rivera in removing the vehicle on the evening of Monday, October 21, 2019. While this new evidence is not conclusive as to the nature and timing of the vehicle’s removal, it creates a reasonable doubt as to Wanda Rivera’s guilt and ethically obligates dismissal in the interests of justice,” according to the new ruling.
