Killer dad’s ‘lame’ coverup story sentenced for murdering his spouse and three children Pennsylvania hearth

Carlos Montalvo-Rivera, 55, has been sentenced to greater than 20 years in jail, 13 years after he set his personal home on hearth, ensuing within the loss of life of his spouse

A Pennsylvania man who set his personal home on hearth, killing his spouse whereas his three youngsters have been additionally inside has been sentenced to greater than 20 years in jail 13 years after the lethal crime occured.

Carlos Montalvo-Rivera, now 55, confronted prices of first-degree homicide, arson and three counts of tried felony murder for the December 2010 blaze through which he claimed to have been tied up by intruders.

The choose at his sentencing blasted his story as ‘lame’.  

Prosecutors defined how Montalvo-Rivera determined to tie himself up in an try and additionally seem as a sufferer reasonably than the perpetrator of the sickening homicide.

Montalvo-Rivera continued to disclaim his position within the crime however the jury noticed by means of his lies.

Lancaster County Decide Dennis Reinaker expressed his personal disbelief at Montalvo-Rivera’s fabricated story throughout the sentencing listening to, emphasizing that the jury’s determination at discovering him responsible additionally mirrored their full disbelief in his account of occasions. 

‘The lame story you concocted and continued to carry onto merely did not maintain any water. The jury did not consider you, and I feel that is the way it ought to be,’ Decide Reinaker stated.

Montalvo-Rivera went to nice lengths to make himself seem as a sufferer reasonably than the perpetrator by tying himself up after setting residence alight in 2010

He claimed intruders had damaged into his residence, killed his spouse, Olga Sanchez-Reyes, and set the home on hearth; his three younger children managed to flee the hearth

Assistant District Legal professional Christine Wilson described the crime as a cold-blooded homicide. 

‘This was a fully brutal and heinous crime that concerned a number of victims. It was a cold-blooded homicide. Though the defendant refuses to confess accountability for his actions, he is been discovered responsible by a jury of his friends,’ she acknowledged.

Wilson expressed satisfaction that justice had been served for the sufferer’s household after years of delay. 

‘Justice has been delayed, however the sufferer’s household has lastly acquired it,’ she stated. 

In his fabricated story, Montalvo-Rivera claimed intruders had damaged into his residence, killed his spouse, Olga Sanchez-Reyes, and set the home on hearth. 

A prolonged nine-year investigation proved his claims to be false. He was subsequently arrested and charged in 2019

He claimed the intruders have been retaliating towards his brother, who had cooperated with the Drug Enforcement Administration on an unrelated matter.

He claimed to have been asleep solely to get up to the odor of smoke and the sounds of his spouse arguing with a stranger. 

Montalvo-Rivera stated he was struck on the pinnacle and misplaced consciousness, solely coming round 45 minutes later to seek out himself tied up and the home ablaze.

A prolonged nine-year investigation proved his claims to be fully false. He was subsequently arrested and charged in 2019.

Prosecutors outlined in crushing element how Montalvo-Rivera murdered his spouse by pouring gasoline from the steps to her bed room earlier than setting the home ablaze. 

The couple’s three youngsters, aged eight, 9, and 13 on the time, have been nonetheless in the home on the third flooring. Extremely managed to flee by means of a door on the primary flooring and make it up onto the rooftop.

Montalvo-Rivera then tied himself as much as deceive investigators.

A neighbor, Jonathan Santiago, was hailed as a hero, after listening to the kids’s cries for assist from the rooftop. 

He managed to organized a rescue operation along with different neighbors. 

Santiago climbed alongside 4 adjoining rooftops in an effort to attain the 2 youngsters who have been stranded on Montalvo-Rivera’s roof, saving their lives.

‘Had it not been for the courageous actions of a neighbor, the incident would have possible been much more tragic, as he helped save the lives of two of the kids by aiding them to security from the burning constructing,’ the Lancaster Police Bureau stated in 2019.

After the hearth, Montalvo-Rivera’s eight- and nine-year-old daughters have been taken to hospital in vital situation, whereas his 13-year-old son additionally required medical therapy.