hogfat Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 Sean Taylor Homicide 'A lose-lose situation' His mentor's dead, his cousin's accused of being the trigger man By Craig Handel chandel@news-press.com Originally posted on December 20, 2007 In one gunshot, Wilfred Rivera lost a friend and mentor as well as a cousin and young man whose life is changed forever. It left the Estero High School graduate sifting through his grief while answering questions he didn't want to answer. Rivera, 21, is a junior receiver for Florida Atlantic University, which will play Memphis on Friday in the New Orleans Bowl, FAU's first postseason game. Playing on special teams, he has one tackle in 10 games. His friend and mentor was Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor. His cousin is Eric Rivera Jr., one of four people accused in the killing of Taylor. The four suspects are charged with breaking into Taylor's Miami home Nov. 26 and shooting him during a confrontation in his bedroom. Taylor died the next day at age 24. At least two of the defendants have confessed to taking part in the attempted burglary and a grand jury indictment identified Eric Rivera Jr. as the one who shot Taylor. "People know I'm from Fort Myers and some know me and Sean were close," Rivera said. "The first question asked is, 'Are you and Eric related?' I have to answer them honestly. "A lot of people give me a strange look. I lie low, I'm stuck between them. I have to say, 'I didn't have anything to do with that.' "It's a lose-lose situation." Wilfred Rivera met Taylor about six months ago when he went over to his house to watch a Floyd Mayweather boxing match. Rivera is good friends with Taylor's half-sister Sasha Johnson, who is a Dunbar High graduate. "He said he noticed a genuine feel to me, like a little brother," Rivera said. "He wanted to help me out in college life. We had good conversations. "I never had a big brother and he said I felt like a little brother." The two worked out together. Rivera stayed overnight at Taylor's home, attended his daughter's first birthday party, texted him after games. Then he attended the wake and viewing with Taylor's family. "Mentor, that's a good word," Rivera said. "He wanted to know more about me than I knew about him, and he was an NFL star. He told me a lot about different things in life I'd face. He was a down-to-earth guy who never backed down." After Taylor was shot, Rivera was confident he'd survive. "He regained consciousness for a small amount of time," Rivera said. "Then he'd go back to sleep. When he started to make face signals and grab a nurse's arm, we thought he's gonna make it. "But when my mother called me and said 'Sean didn't make it', I dropped the phone. I couldn't believe it. "Now I'm without a friend, a little girl is without a dad, and a mom is without a son." Rivera said never in a million years would he have thought it could've been his cousin who pulled the trigger. While he said he has talked with father Eric Rivera Sr., he hasn't talked with Eric Jr. for months. He remembers him as a good kid who was heading down the wrong road. "His father was president of the Pop Warner team," Wilfred Rivera said. "It was a good household and a good family, but that area they stayed in... "He ended up in the wrong crew. He was not a leader, just a follower. I talked to him about different stuff, like 'Money is the root of all evil. There's more fulfilling things to do.' I guess it didn't grab ahold of him. Now he's going to have regrets for the rest of his life.' Rivera's teammate, junior defensive back Corey Small, a Gulf Coast High School graduate, said Rivera has been quiet about the circumstances. "That would be pretty tragic," Small said, when asked what it would be like to go through something like that. "I don't know how to answer that. It's really unfortunate. "I think he's dealing with a lot of it on his own." Rivera said Taylor told him of things he'd face in college. But he never told him how to deal with this. "I'm just not able to to talk to him like I want to," he said. "I just miss that." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC_Native,NC_Fan Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 "His father was president of the Pop Warner team," Wilfred Rivera said. "It was a good household and a good family, but that area they stayed in... BS. As a father, it's your responsibility to not let your child be in that environment. You work 3 jobs, do whatever it takes. The parents failed. If any of my kids do something like they did, I am a failure as a parent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terpskins10 Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 BS. As a father, it's your responsibility to not let your child be in that environment. You work 3 jobs, do whatever it takes. The parents failed. If any of my kids do something like they did, I am a failure as a parent. While I agree, sometimes it's just not that easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
praise_gibbs Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 BS. As a father, it's your responsibility to not let your child be in that environment. You work 3 jobs, do whatever it takes. The parents failed. If any of my kids do something like they did, I am a failure as a parent. Badda Bing! Agreed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
professor21 Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 i feel bad for that kid, to be associated like that. what a conundrum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
estrella117 Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 It is hard raising kids now a days even the most nosiest parents kids can wind up like that so you can't really put all the blame on the parent or parents. I blame the society we live in today! It's all bull**** and if we don't figure something out soon to stop all this madness then eventually what's going to happen is were all going to whip out each other. So sad that my kids have to live through this crap! Maybe one day we will all live in peace with each other but I highly doubt that will ever happen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny White Guy Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 What a messed up situation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siven Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 It is hard raising kids now a days even the most nosiest parents kids can wind up like that so you can't really put all the blame on the parent or parents. I blame the society we live in today! It's all bull**** and if we don't figure something out soon to stop all this madness then eventually what's going to happen is were all going to whip out each other. So sad that my kids have to live through this crap! Maybe one day we will all live in peace with each other but I highly doubt that will ever happen! I don't blame the parents or society or their teachers or anyone. I blame them. Point is, you and you alone are responsible for your actions. It is common sense to not rob people and to not bring a gun with the intent to go kill. It's common sense and these idiots have none of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jg42 Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 At 17, he knows the difference between right and wrong. He needs to take responsibility for his own actions, not the parents. You can't scream charge him as an adult and then say it's the parents' fault for letting him get in trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heavens Safety 21 Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 Now for the rest of his life he will be known as the cousin of the kid who murdered Sean Taylor...how sad! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteelNeil Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 BS. As a father, it's your responsibility to not let your child be in that environment. You work 3 jobs, do whatever it takes. The parents failed. If any of my kids do something like they did, I am a failure as a parent. The whole BS ghetto mentality is as much to blame as the trigger man himself. As soon as the BOYZ in the hood decide not to be monsters, their world will be a better place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Blitz Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 17 or not...parents maybe didn't do a good job??? But the dude should still be convicted of murder and sentenced to DEATH!!!! The other punks should face the same. The article in the post this morning by Amy Shipley makes you want to ask...What kind of world are we living in???? Sean...we love you...and you will be in our hearts forever!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pookie Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 Yeah, I saw this on the Justice for Sean Taylor Myspace...I kinda agree w/ their theory that we don't know this guy's intentions and this could very well be a ploy to drum up sympathy for Erik Rivera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blondie Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 BS. As a father, it's your responsibility to not let your child be in that environment. You work 3 jobs, do whatever it takes. The parents failed. If any of my kids do something like they did, I am a failure as a parent. While I agree, sometimes it's just not that easy. It is hard raising kids now a days even the most nosiest parents kids can wind up like that so you can't really put all the blame on the parent or parents. I blame the society we live in today! It's all bull**** and if we don't figure something out soon to stop all this madness then eventually what's going to happen is were all going to whip out each other. So sad that my kids have to live through this crap! Maybe one day we will all live in peace with each other but I highly doubt that will ever happen! I don't blame the parents or society or their teachers or anyone.I blame them. Point is, you and you alone are responsible for your actions. It is common sense to not rob people and to not bring a gun with the intent to go kill. It's common sense and these idiots have none of it. At 17, he knows the difference between right and wrong. He needs to take responsibility for his own actions, not the parents. You can't scream charge him as an adult and then say it's the parents' fault for letting him get in trouble. As an educator, I see many students in trouble......acting out.......being convicted of major crimes. I see their parents and and many times I DO understand why the children are like this. BUT........there are time the parents are doing ALL they can do......keeping an eye out......talking to the children...and trying. Eric Rivera attended a school for students with learning disabilities. THAT concerns me.....because a defense attorney may try to use that as an excuse. IT IS NOT AN EXCUSE. My teacher's certification is in learning disabilities. I hope this does not become an issue. Every article I have read states that Eric was the first one in........and with Mitchell becoming scared and trying to leave......Eric was the one insisting on continuing the robbery. His parents may have done all they could do........but he decided to be a bad ***. NOW he will be a punk *** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[[ghost]] Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 While I agree, sometimes it's just not that easy. To do what, move? He didn't have to move to a rich neighborhood, he just had to get the hell out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pookie Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 Eric Rivera attended a school for students with learning disabilities. THAT concerns me.....because a defense attorney may try to use that as an excuse. IT IS NOT AN EXCUSE. My teacher's certification is in learning disabilities. I hope this does not become an issue. That's the latest lawyer/biased media spin tho...early on, the report called it like it was. FL Christian Academy is actually a school for at-risk kids. Not trynig to downplay learning disbilities, or a school that helps in that, but this kid had problems from before. Per the Myspace blog I've been following closely, a few of those Ft. Myers lawyers defending the 4 are bumbling idiots. They have a link to someone's blog that talks about this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
21dave Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 So many lives ruined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKIN4WAHOOZ Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 you can blame rap music. gansta's, killa's and money thats all these thugs listen too and hear everyday. how can anyone say its not an influence. Maybe the worlds biggest racists, jesse jackson and al sharpton, should work to get this crap off the airways...if they really care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinstzar Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 The parents did not do all they could have done. Why was this 17 year old kid out in the middle of the night on a Sunday???? My parents would have hunted me down and locked my ass in my room because there is no good reason to be doing anyting at that time but sleeping and minding your own business. It is the parents fault. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Edds Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 The whole BS ghetto mentality is as much to blame as the trigger man himself. As soon as the BOYZ in the hood decide not to be monsters, their world will be a better place. it's much deeper than that though IMO ... corporate America has much to do with this as well. The music biz and corporate America have also embraced this gangster mentality with the sole purpose of making money. Greed is the root of all evil. I still can't understand why this had to happen, so a freak situation. The part that is bothering me, is that every time I see this kid's face, I see no remorse what so ever. I want to hear his explanation, i want to know if he is really that "tough" ... is he in shock, does he even care? Is he sorry etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrell1106 Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 BS. As a father, it's your responsibility to not let your child be in that environment. You work 3 jobs, do whatever it takes. The parents failed. If any of my kids do something like they did, I am a failure as a parent. Not that simpe my fellow skins fan. As a DC native you must have seen plenty of examples like this. At some point children/kids/young men & women will have to begin assuming some responsibility. For the guy to insist on the robbery despite obvious warning signs is hard to swallow. He was probably waaaaay gone by this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onnie007 Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 That is a terrible situation for Wilfred. To lose your mentor and then to find out that a relative was responsible for his murder...thats just terrible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pookie Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 Wilfred-Schmilfred. I think it's a sympathy ploy cooked up by the lawyers who have no problem in exploiting this latest Rivera for their agenda. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blondie Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 it's much deeper than that though IMO ... corporate America has much to do with this as well. The music biz and corporate America have also embraced this gangster mentality with the sole purpose of making money. Greed is the root of all evil.I still can't understand why this had to happen, so a freak situation. The part that is bothering me, is that every time I see this kid's face, I see no remorse what so ever. I want to hear his explanation, i want to know if he is really that "tough" ... is he in shock, does he even care? Is he sorry etc? I am not "picking on" you. But how, exactly, do you SEE remorse? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reaganaut Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 One thing to take into account here is drugs. These kids were smoking crack cocaine and taking meth. The drug induced buzz they had was likely the reason they felt the unnatural courage it would take to do something like this. I am helping take care of a friend who was addicted to crack cocaine and he spent a half million dollars in two years. We tried everything we could to stop him. He showed up a couple times with bad people in a car saying that they would kill him if we didn't give them money. It was a very bad ordeal and my friend was a great guy before this. He destroyed his kidneys and is now on dialysis. I drove him there last night. So, these may well have been fairly decent kids until their involvement with crack. I still care about my friend, but he burned all of us badly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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