DELAND, Fla. – On Thursday, a man was convicted of first-degree murder and possession of a firearm in Volusia County, Florida. The charges stem from the killing of his childhood friend, Roberto Ovalle, inside a DeBary storage unit in 2019. Investigators said Julio Rivera shot Ovalle in the head three times while they were inside the storage unit on Highbanks Road.
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office revealed that Rivera had been living in the storage unit at the time of the shooting. It was also discovered that Rivera was a convicted felon and had a previous murder conviction in New York. He was also wanted on an active arrest warrant for a parole violation.
After his arrest, detectives obtained a recorded jailhouse phone call where Rivera admitted to the murder. Now, Rivera faces a possible death penalty as his sentencing is set to begin on Tuesday.
The girlfriend of the victim at the time of his death provided significant details to the investigators. She revealed that Rivera had been hiding out in the storage unit since October 2019 to avoid arrest. The tragic event has brought closure to the victim’s loved ones, and they await the sentencing of the man responsible for this heinous crime.
The conviction of Julio Rivera for the murder of Roberto Ovalle in a DeBary storage unit brings a sense of justice to the community. The details of the case, including Rivera’s criminal history and the circumstances of the crime, highlight the severity of the situation. As the sentencing phase approaches, the impact of this senseless act reverberates among those affected by the loss of Ovalle.