Jose Rivera

In the summer of 2012, a violent feud between individuals involved in the Buffalo heroin trade culminated in the death of Jose Rivera. The events leading to his murder began to unfold in June of that year when a group, including Jose L. Ramirez-Merced and Alexander Duarte, were actively selling heroin on the city's West Side. Their criminal activities took a more aggressive turn on July 15, 2012, when they orchestrated a home invasion robbery targeting Rivera, who was known to be a heroin dealer.

The execution of the robbery, however, was flawed. The group invaded the wrong residence, making off with cocaine and cash that did not belong to their intended target. This mistake set off a chain reaction of threats and escalating violence. Following the botched robbery, Jose Rivera began making threats against the individuals involved and even attempted to kill one of them. In response to this, the group made the decision to murder Rivera.

On the evening of July 31, 2012, the plan was put into action. Ramirez-Merced and his co-defendant, Alexander Duarte, armed themselves and proceeded to a residence on West Avenue in Buffalo. There, they opened fire, ending Jose Rivera's life and injuring a woman who was also present at the scene.

The subsequent investigation into Rivera's death led to the apprehension of those responsible. Jose L. Ramirez-Merced, who was 30 years old at the time, pleaded guilty to the discharge of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking which caused a death. This charge carried a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life. At the time of Ramirez-Merced's plea, charges were still pending against his co-defendant, Alexander Duarte.