Family members of Ethan Noel Soto attacked his killer, Victor Nathaneal Rivas, deputies said. (Screenshot: KSAT)
As seen on video, several people whaled away on a defendant in the middle of court. Deputies in Bexar County, Texas, say these are relatives of murder victim Ethan Noel Soto, 15, and the man they’re beating is the alleged killer, Victor Nathaneal Rivas, 18.
You can watch the footage here via KSAT.
In court, Rivas allegedly gestured toward Soto’s family, according to WOAI. Relatives of the victim jumped the partition to beat up Rivas.
Authorities did not explain what this gesture was supposed to be. Neither did they suggest why the victim’s family attacked the defendant then and there. In any case, footage shows several people whaling away on the same figure garbed in orange. According to the sheriff’s office, bailiffs broke up the fight. More family members became disruptive, they said in the report.
Authorities are charging two men and two juveniles with assault and disrupting court proceedings.
San Antonio cops arrested Rivas, then a juvenile, in September 2022 for murder, according to KSAT.
He allegedly had another minor, a girl, lure Soto out for a fabricated drug deal, authorities said.
Soto arrived the meet location the afternoon of May 16, 2022, expecting to meet the girl to sell her THC cartridges. But according to cops, she never showed up. Instead, Rivas allegedly ambushed him and shot him multiple times. Soto died at a hospital.
The motive was that the victim had robbed Rivas of THC cartridges the day before, authorities said. Rivas shot at him, though Soto was unhurt at the time, authorities said.
Soto’s mother allegedly tried to fix things by paying Rivas for the stolen cartridges, and she met with Rivas to give the money. But Rivas allegedly did not let the situation slide and killed her son.
When Soto’s mother confronted Rivas later, he said he “wished” he shot the victim but would not kill him over $60, according to cops.
Officers also cited cellphone data in placing Rivas at the scene of the shooting, and to show that he ditched his getaway vehicle at an IHOP and claimed it was stolen.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
