Arrest of Suspect in Son's Philadelphia Murder Brings Measure of Solace to Parents
By KYW Newsradio community affairs reporter Cherri Gregg
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A 25-year-old man who police say shot and killed a Temple University student outside a Feltonville nightclub in January is now behind bars.
The victim's family says they applied community pressure that forced the gunman to turn himself in.
Wilfredo Rojas is among those breathing a little easier. "It gives us a little bit of peace," he says, after learning a suspect was arrested in connection with his son's murder.
On Friday, 25-year-old Leonaldo Rivera turned himself in to police. Police say Rivera shot Rojas' son, Alejandro Rojas-Garcia, 34, and another man outside a Feltonville nightclub on January 24th. Rojas-Garcia died.
Police identified Rivera from surveillance video and Rojas, who is a vice president of the Gloucester County NAACP, says the family then went to work, looking online and using their media and community connections to help police track down Rivera.
"We had a full-court press on him, where he really couldn't go anywhere," says Rojas. "The media was very insistent, my family insistent, the police were very insistent, and the community, particularly the NAACP."
Prosecutors have now charged Rivera with murder, attempted murder, and other crimes. Rojas says the family plans to attend Rivera's preliminary hearing on March 18th, demanding justice.
"We do not believe in the death penalty, but we do believe he should serve life in prison," Rojas says.
"I want to see the evidence," adds Aleida Garcia, the victim's mother. "I want to know that he is the man that murdered my son." She said the entire family is taking action to deal with their grief.
"We're all struggling and mourning, but we're doing it together," she says, noting the family will march with other families of murder victims in June. They are also planning other activities. "We're continuing to do things that help us heal and come together as a family."
