Background: News footage of Emilio Rivera appearing in court (KSAZ). Inset: Rhiana Kemplin (GoFundMe).
A teenager from Arizona has been charged with the murder of his former girlfriend after authorities reported that he broke into her residence and fatally shot her while she lay in bed.
Emilio Rivera, aged 18, was apprehended by the Avondale Police Department officers last Friday, almost a week following the tragic discovery of 17-year-old Rhiana Kemplin, who was found with a gunshot wound to her head in the home she shared with her mother. According to court records reviewed by KSAZ, a local Fox affiliate, Kemplin’s mother recounted to police that she encountered a man inside her apartment, who pointed a firearm at her during the early hours of November 8.
As detailed in the court documents, Kemplin’s mother identified the masked intruder as Rivera. She described how he attempted to fire the gun twice, producing only a “clicking” sound each time, before fleeing the scene. Rushing to her daughter’s room, she found Rhiana with a gunshot injury to her head.
Reports indicate that the bullet entered the right side of Kemplin’s head and exited through the left, also injuring her left hand. She was swiftly taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced brain dead and tragically passed away later that afternoon.
Kemplin’s mother informed the authorities about the volatile nature of her daughter’s relationship with Rivera, stating that she had forbidden him from entering their apartment.
Police questioned Rivera, who resided just a short six-minute walk from Kemplin’s apartment. Though Rivera denied possessing a weapon, he acknowledged that his mother owned a gun. He also denied any involvement in Kemplin’s death, but admitted to visiting her apartment the previous night. Rivera confessed to having an argument with Kemplin around 11:45 p.m., accusing her of infidelity. He claimed the disagreement turned physical, although he denied hitting her.
Rivera told police that he left Kemplin’s apartment after midnight, but returned to slash the tires on two or three cars in the apartment’s parking lot so Kemplin did not “have the freedom to easily drive around to see other men.” He later returned to slash more tires because he thought the initial couple of vehicles were “not enough.” Rivera admitted to slashing the tires on 14 cars and was booked into jail on 14 counts of criminal damage.
While Rivera sat in jail, police investigated his home and found clothing matching what Kemplin’s mother saw him wearing. They also found a 9 mm Glock 43 handgun in a purse belonging to his mother.
During a court appearance following Rivera’s arrest in connection with Kemplin’s death, authorities stated that ballistics matched the gun found at Rivera’s home to the one allegedly used to kill Kemplin.
Rivera was charged with first-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder. A judge set his bond at $1 million. His next court date is scheduled for Thursday.
