In the winter of 2016, a holiday turned tragic in a west Phoenix neighborhood. On Christmas Day, Isaac Rivera, a 41-year-old man, was found with serious injuries inside his home near 7900 W. Catalina Dr. He was rushed to a local hospital but unfortunately succumbed to his injuries and passed away. The evening took a dark turn after Rivera had a seemingly uneventful trip to a nearby Circle K convenience store.
Upon his return, an altercation broke out within the walls of his own home, leading to the fatal incident.
The investigation into the death of Rivera, who was known as the frontman for the punk rock band Section8 for over two decades, quickly pointed to a suspect. Phoenix police identified 26-year-old Alexander James Chavez as the individual allegedly involved in the deadly confrontation. Investigators were able to track Chavez to a location where he was staying and took him into custody on the Wednesday following the incident.
Following his arrest, Alexander James Chavez was charged with the murder of Isaac Rivera. The arrest brought a swift, though somber, development to the case that had marred the Christmas holiday. Authorities did not immediately release details on what led to the altercation between the two men. Chavez did not make any statements to detectives after being taken into custody.
