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Wednesday, Jun. 25, 2008

Autopsy says stab wound to the heart killed Atwater penitentiary guard

Family of correctional officer copes with death, plans funeral for Friday afternoon

A stab wound to the heart took the life of Jose Rivera, a 22-year-old federal correctional officer at U.S. Penitentiary Atwater, according to preliminary autopsy results released Tuesday by the Merced County Sheriff's Department.

Although the details of the autopsy emerged four days after he was stabbed to death at the hands of two inmates at the prison, officials released no new details about the circumstances surrounding his death.

According to the autopsy's preliminary results, Rivera suffered from multiple puncture wounds to the upper torso and back. One of the puncture wounds pierced Rivera's heart, killing him, said Tom MacKenzie, spokesman for the Sheriff's Department, which conducted the autopsy.

MacKenzie said the department was not going to release any further information about the autopsy, at the request of the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office, as it might "interfere with their investigation."

Lauren Horwood, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of California, said the names of the suspects probably will not be released until they are indicted. Horwood did not say when that would happen.

Horwood added that more information about the stabbing probably will not be released until that time.

"That's the kind of information that we would not want to put out, since (the investigation) is still ongoing," she said.

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View a video tribute to Rivera

In the meantime, Terry Rivera and the rest of her family are mourning their "Pep" -- which is short for his nickname, "Peabody."

Terry Rivera said she's not sure why her son's friends gave him that nickname -- but it stayed with him nonetheless.

His friends and family described him as a goal-oriented man with a big smile who loved the Oakland A's, going paint-balling with friends and enjoying his mother's home- cooked quesadillas.

Above all else, however, he was a family man -- one his mother, 42-year-old Terry Rivera, calls her hero.

Rivera was the third of five children. He graduated from Le Grand High School in 2003 -- an occasion which was particularly joyous because his mother graduated from adult high school the same year. His family said he lived in Merced with his girlfriend, Lisa Rosales, 19.

In his quest to "see the world," he served four years in the U.S. Navy, including two tours in Iraq.

Rivera began as a correctional officer about 10 months ago -- a tough job he took to further his career aspirations in law enforcement. Terry Rivera said her son ultimately wanted to become a California Highway Patrol officer.

"He wanted to have a good job so that if we ever needed his help, he would be there for us," Terry Rivera remembered. "He didn't want to be out here making minimum wage."

Terry Rivera said her son was very physically fit and often liked to jog. While in high school, there were few sports he didn't try out for, playing basketball and football. "He wanted to do everything," Rivera said.

Other than his mother's home-cooked Mexican food, he loved bean dip from Raley's supermarket.

And Terry Rivera said there was never a day when her son didn't call her to check in.

"He was actually a mamma's boy," Rivera fondly recalled. "He always wanted me to be proud of him and everything that he did. He's just my hero."

A rosary for Rivera is scheduled from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at St. Patrick's Parish, 671 E. Yosemite Ave. His funeral is scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday at St. Patrick's.

Donations to Rivera's family can be made at any Bank of America branch to account No. 18032-67082.

Reporter Victor A. Patton can be reached at (209) 385-2431 or vpatton@mercedsun-star.com.