Prosecution, defense rests in murder trial on Nicole Montalvo

KISSIMMEE, Fla. Both the prosecution and the defense presented their evidence, according to the judge presiding over the tracks of Christopher Otero-Rivera and Angel Rivera.

Christopher Otero-Rivera and his father, Angel Rivera, are charged with second-degree murder in the death of Otero-Rivera’s estranged wife in Osceola County.

Before the trial of two men accused of murdering and dismembering Nicole Montalvo in 2019 resumed, the judge dismissed a jury member who he said had slept on several occasions at the event.

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The judge said that jury member no. 16 will be dismissed from the case and will be replaced by an alternative jury member who was observant throughout the course of the case.

The state rested its case Tuesday around 3 p.m., but before they could do so, jurors heard from a former Otero-Rivera jailer.

The former jailer said he was in the same jail as Otero-Rivera during his eight months, that they had a lot of conversations. He said Otero-Rivera said he wanted to kill Nicole Montalvo.

Asked if Otero-Rivera ever talked about specific ways to kill her, his former jailer said Otero-Rivera mentions a car bomb.

A second jailer was also called to testify and said Otero-Rivera spoke about the outcome of the jail and the murder of Montalvo.

But the focus was not only on Otero-Rivera, but jurors also heard from a neighbor who said he lived diagonally across from the Rivera property and said he had a conversation with Angel Rivera.

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The neighbor said Rivera offered him $ 10 thousand to kill Montalvo.

Before the defense began calling witnesses, Otero-Rivera and his father both said they would not take a stand.

The defense only mentions Wanda Rivera as their witness late this afternoon. She is the wife of Angel and mother of Christopher.

The trial is expected to resume tomorrow at 9am

Montalvo, 33, was reported missing in October 2019 after failing to pick up her 8-year-old son from school. Her crumbling remains were later found buried on property owned by the Riveras. Otero-Rivera and Montalvo had a son together, but they were divorced at the time of her death.