In the winter of 1993, a brutal act of violence cut short the life of 23-year-old Miguel Camacho Rivera in the Bronx, New York. On the night of February 14th, Rivera was one of six individuals who were methodically executed in an apartment on Prospect Avenue. The other victims were identified as Julia Santana, 44, her children, 17-year-old Edwin Santiago and 26-year-old Maria Santana, along with 15-year-old Christopher Hernandez and 17-year-old Annette Medina.
The scene discovered by authorities was grim, with each victim having been shot, most in the back of the head. Investigators quickly determined that robbery was not the motive, as a substantial amount of cash was left untouched at the scene. The nature of the killings suggested a planned and ruthless execution.
The investigation into the sextuple homicide pointed towards a motive of revenge, not against Rivera, but against Edwin Santiago. The plot was masterminded by Anthony Casellas, also known as 'Ding-Ding,' in retaliation for an earlier altercation involving his wife and Santiago. Casellas, along with four accomplices—Luis Ramos, Eliot Lopez, Luis Romero, and Edgardo Rosado—carried out the massacre. For ten days, the killers remained at large, leaving the community in fear. The break in the case came not from the initial investigation, but from another violent outburst.
A crucial turn of events occurred ten days after the murders, at the Bronx County Courthouse. A man named Gilberto Ortiz, a friend of Edwin Santiago, sought revenge and opened fire on the courthouse steps, targeting Casellas. In the ensuing chaos, Casellas’s wife was killed. During the subsequent police interrogation regarding the courthouse shooting, Anthony Casellas confessed to his role in the Valentine's Day massacre. This confession led to the swift arrest of his four co-conspirators. The legal proceedings that followed brought the horrific details of the crime to light, resulting in convictions for all involved. Anthony Casellas, the orchestrator and primary shooter, was sentenced to 162 years to life in prison. His accomplices also received lengthy sentences for their participation in the mass murder.
