On a Friday evening in Antioch, Tennessee, a dispute turned deadly, claiming the life of 19-year-old Eric Contreras. The fatal encounter unfolded on March 17, 2023, in the 4700 block of McBride Road. Contreras was with his 18-year-old pregnant girlfriend, Alena Dean, sitting in a vehicle when they were approached by another young man.
That man was identified as 19-year-old Kevin Rivera. It is believed that the three individuals knew each other.
Contreras and Rivera engaged in a brief conversation just before shots were fired. The gunfire was the tragic culmination of what authorities believe to be an ongoing dispute between them.
When South Precinct officers responded to the shooting at 8:35 p.m., they found Contreras lying in the street with a gunshot wound to his head. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but succumbed to his injuries shortly after arriving. Dean was also wounded in the attack but was found inside the car and was expected to survive.
The investigation, led by Detective Chris Cote, quickly pointed to Rivera as the suspect. A collaborative effort between the Metro Nashville Police Department's Homicide and TITANS Units, along with assistance from the LaVergne Police, led to Rivera's capture. In the early morning hours of March 20, 2023, just before 5 a.m., Rivera was taken into custody at a residence on Farmingdale Drive in LaVergne. He has since been charged with criminal homicide for the death of Eric Contreras and attempted criminal homicide for the wounding of Alena Dean.
