In the quiet town of Blackfoot, Idaho, a tragedy unfolded that cut short the life of a beloved mother and friend. Rebecca Rivera, a 30-year-old Hispanic woman, was killed on Thursday, October 23, 2025, in an act of violence that shook the community. Born in El Paso, Texas, Rivera had made her home in Blackfoot, where she was raising her daughter and was engaged to be married. She was known as a hardworking and devoted mother who found her greatest joy in her child.
Her life was abruptly ended when she was fatally shot in the head at her trailer home.
The investigation into her death quickly led authorities to a 16-year-old runaway, Bobby G. Jackson. The events leading to the fatal encounter began earlier that day when Jackson, an employee of a subcontractor working at State Hospital South, was reported to have stolen a handgun from a coworker's truck. Following the theft, Jackson made his way to Rivera's home in the 1100 block of South Broadway. There, it is reported that he asked Rivera for a ride, and when she refused, he shot her. There is no known relationship between Jackson and Rivera.
Following the shooting, a manhunt for Jackson ensued, with police warning the public that he was considered armed and extremely dangerous. He was last seen on foot near Highway 91 and Riverton Road before being apprehended in the early morning hours of October 24 in the neighboring city of Pocatello. After his arrest, Jackson reportedly confessed to the killing, telling investigators, "I put a bullet in her brain." He has since been charged as an adult with first-degree murder and is being held on a $1 million bond. While one report mentioned that Jackson cited revenge for a friend's death as a motive, another states the shooting occurred after Rivera's refusal to give him a ride.
