John Rivera

John Rivera, a 29-year-old Hispanic man from Springfield, Massachusetts, was a father and a manager at a local Sonic. Described by loved ones as loving, caring, and funny, he had just received a promotion and was in a celebratory mood on the night he was killed.

In the early morning hours of Saturday, August 20, 2022, Rivera was sharing bottles of cognac with friends inside his Nissan Rogue. The group, which included his childhood friend Ricky Brown, was driving around the Springfield area. At some point, an argument broke out. According to testimony later given at trial, Rivera threw a drink toward the front seat, splashing Brown. Shortly after, Rivera was shot in the head at close range. The shooting occurred in the 0-100 block of Longhill Street. First responders rushed him to Baystate Medical Center, where he died from his injuries.

An investigation by the Springfield Police Department’s homicide unit and the Hampden District Attorney’s murder unit quickly led to a suspect. Four days after the shooting, on August 24, 2022, authorities issued an arrest warrant for Ricky L. Brown, then 28, of West Springfield. Brown evaded law enforcement for several months but was located and arrested by Springfield Police on March 22, 2023.

Brown was charged with murder, carrying a loaded firearm without a license, carrying a firearm without a license, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, and a firearm violation with a prior violent crime. His trial began in Hampden Superior Court in late May 2026. The prosecution presented a witness who claimed Brown said, "You been acting up all night. I've got something for ya," before the shooting. However, the defense attorney argued that this witness was unreliable and had given different accounts of the event. Another witness testified that the shooter said nothing.

After more than two days of testimony, the jury began deliberations. They reported being deadlocked twice over three days before reaching a decision. In early June 2026, Ricky Brown was acquitted, found not guilty of murder and all related firearms charges. As of June 2026, the murder of John Rivera remains unsolved.