In the predawn hours of August 6, 2006, a male Reading Police Officer, 40-year-old Scott Alan Wertz, was tragically killed in the line of duty. A nine-year veteran of the department, Wertz was a married father of two sons. His career in law enforcement also included time as a corrections officer and a part-time officer in other local municipalities.
On that summer morning, Officer Wertz and his partner, who were working in plainclothes on an auto-theft detail, responded to reports of a
fight and gunshots near City Hall. Upon their arrival at a convenience store at the intersection of 8th and Walnut Streets, they heard more gunshots and saw a man leaving the scene. As the two officers approached the man, he fled on foot with Officer Wertz in pursuit. A confrontation ensued, and the fleeing man fired two shots, striking Officer Wertz in the chest. Wertz was not wearing a bulletproof vest. His partner immediately tackled the shooter and took him into custody. Officer Wertz was rushed to the Reading Hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival.
The man apprehended at the scene was identified as Cletus C. Rivera. In 2008, Rivera stood trial for the murder of Officer Wertz. His defense attorneys argued that he acted in self-defense, claiming he did not know Wertz was a police officer. Rivera himself testified that he intended to kill the man chasing him because he feared for his own life. The prosecution presented evidence that Wertz's police badge was found in his vehicle and his firearm was still in its holster after the shooting.
After a trial that garnered significant media attention, a jury convicted Cletus C. Rivera of first-degree murder. The jury, selected from another county due to the extensive local publicity, subsequently sentenced him to death by lethal injection. Following the verdict, Wertz's widow expressed her relief and stated that justice had been served for her husband, who was not only a police officer but also a father, son, and brother. Rivera's conviction and death sentence were appealed, but the judgment was affirmed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. In 2010, the governor of Pennsylvania signed an execution warrant for Rivera.
