Who killed 42 year old Mario Rivera in 1981? On a Thursday afternoon, the 10th of December in 1981, an employee of the Oregon Humane Society was near a pond in the 1000 block of NE Columbia Boulevard in Portland, Oregon. At approximately 12:40 pm, the employee noticed what appeared to be a red parka in the water. A closer look revealed a much grimmer reality: the parka was being worn by a deceased individual.
The victim was identified as Mario Rivera, a 42-year-old Hispanic male.
An autopsy later determined that Rivera had not drowned but had been the victim of a violent assault. The cause of death was ruled to be the result of being beaten about the head with a blunt object. The investigation into his death revealed a man who was known to be rowdy and frequently intoxicated. Those who knew him described him as being verbally abusive and disrespectful, painting a picture of a life that may have been troubled.
Despite the efforts of law enforcement, no arrests were ever made in connection with the murder of Mario Rivera. The case grew cold over the years, a silent testament to a life cut short by violence. Witnesses had reported seeing a red object, similar to the parka Rivera was wearing when found, in the pond as early as Monday, December 7th, three days before his body was officially discovered. The identity of his killer or killers remains a mystery, and the case is still considered an unsolved homicide by the Portland Police Bureau.
