Judge Rafael Lugo Morales of the Arecibo Tribunal found cause for arrest against Joel Jiménez Rivera, who is accused of murdering his 89-year-old mother, Rosalina Rivera Picón, in the Santana neighborhood of Arecibo on June 28. Prosecutor Daisy M. Quintero Hernández charged Jiménez Rivera with first-degree murder, destruction of evidence, and mistreatment of an elderly person.
After analyzing the evidence, Lugo Morales set a bail of $750,000 for each charge, totaling $2.2 million. Since Jiménez Rivera was unable to post bail, he will remain in custody until the preliminary hearing on July 17. According to the investigation by the Arecibo CIC's Homicide Division, Rivera Picón was taken to a hospital on June 28 but was removed by her son before her medical evaluation was completed.
She was found dead in her residence on June 30, and the Institute of Forensic Sciences determined that the cause of death was severe bodily trauma caused by another person.