On a spring evening in Kennewick, Washington, the life of 17-year-old Hispanic male Ricardo Rivera was tragically cut short. On April 28, 2022, Rivera, a student at Kamiakin High School, was found with a gunshot wound on the 2100 block of North Rhode Island Court around 5:15 p.m.. Witnesses reported hearing several gunshots and seeing multiple people fleeing the scene. Rivera was rushed to a local hospital, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
The initial investigation by the Kennewick Police Department pointed to a homicide, and they assured the public it was not a random act.
The investigation into Rivera's death unfolded over several months. Initially, authorities struggled to identify suspects, though several men were seen running from the mobile home park where the shooting occurred. The case gained momentum in August 2022 when arrest warrants were issued for 18-year-old Jacob Young Jr. and a 15-year-old boy. By March 2023, a total of four suspects had been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with Rivera's death. The other two suspects were identified as a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old.
Court documents later revealed that the fatal encounter was the result of a planned robbery. The four teens, who had ties to a local gang, had allegedly arranged to buy a small amount of marijuana oil from Rivera. They met in the west Kennewick neighborhood where a struggle ensued outside of Rivera's car, and he was shot once. The suspects allegedly stole a significant amount of cash from Rivera before fleeing. Two of the suspects, brothers Jacob and Jacquez Young, later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, respectively. The two other teens, brothers Vontell and Syntrell Wesson, were also charged with first-degree murder.
