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Florida AG: Charges could be filed in Nicole Montalvo murder case

Florida AG: Charges could be filed in Nicole Montalvo murder case
FLORIDA'S ATTORNEY GENERAL TO TAKE OVER THE CASE. KELSI THORUD HAS MORE. KELSI: IN A HAND-DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS'S OFFICE FRIDAY, ATTORNEY GENERAL ASHLEY MOODY INFORMED THE GOVERNOR OF WHAT SHE CALLS A SITUATION IN OSCEOLA COUNTY THAT SEEMS TO BE ESCALATING THAT IS NOT CONDUCIVE TO THE ENDS OF JUSTICE. THE LETTER CAME JUST HOURS AFTER THE STATE ATTORNEY TOOK TO THE STEPS OF THE OSCEOLA COUNTY COURTHOUSE TO BLAST THE OSCEOLA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ON THE HANDLING OF THE MURDER CASE. >> I REFUSE TO BE A PART OF A PUBLIC SPECTACLE THAT HAS BEEN CREATED BIT SHERIFF. KELSI: DURING HER PRESS CONFERENCE THE STATE ATTORNEY CLAIMED RUSS GIBSON WENT AGAINST HER OFFICE'S ADVICE AND ARRESTED CHRISTOPHER OTERA-RIVERA AND JELL RIVERA, THE TWO THEN SUSPECTED OF THE MURDER WITHOUT ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO ACTUALLY CHARGE HER WITH MURDER. >> HE HAS OFFERED FACTS THAT ARE SIMPLY NOT TRUE. HE HAS MADE CONCLUSIONS THAT ARE IN DIRECT CONFLICT WITH THE EVIDENCE OR SIGNIFICANT LACK THEREOF. KELSI: IN RESPONSE, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE RELEASED THIS STATEMENT SAYING THAT IT FELT THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WASN'T INTERESTED IN PURSUING HOMICIDE CHARGES, SO THE SHERIFF REACHED OUT TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE FOR A SECOND OPINION. IN THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR, SOME SHE DID CONFIRM HER [O] OFFICE'S PRELIMINARY OPINION AGREED WITH THE STATE ATTORNEY AND THE CHARGES COULD BE FILED AGAINST THE RIVERAS. SHE WORRIED THE DISPUTE AND DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THE SHERIFF AND STATE ATTORNEY WHICH NOW APPEARS TO BE PERSONAL COULD RESULT IN MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE. IN HIS STATEMENT, SHERIFF GIBSON AGREED SAYING HE BELIEVES JUSTICE CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED IN THIS CASE IF IT IS GIVEN TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. WE REACHED OUT TO THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR COMMENT ON THE SHERIFF'S STATEMENT AND ARE STILL WAITING FOR A RESPONSE.
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Florida AG: Charges could be filed in Nicole Montalvo murder case
Florida Attorney General Ashely Moody weighed in Friday on the Nicole Montalvo murder case after the Orange-Osceola state attorney publicly stated that she does not like the way the Osceola sheriff has handled the case. In a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis, Moody said that with the dispute between Aramis Ayala and Russ Gibson now public, she has the disagreements could result in a "miscarriage of justice." “This morning State Attorney Ayala held a press conference. You and your office can review that press conference in its entirety, but it is safe to say that the dispute between Sheriff Gibson and State Attorney Ayala is now public, personal, and appears to be acrimonious. Such acrimony is not conducive to the administration of fair and effective justice,” the letter said. Montalvo's remains were found on an Osceola County property in October. Montalvo's husband, Christopher Otero-Rivera, was arrested and named a person of interest in the case, and several other members of Otero-Rivera’s family have also been implicated in the case. Otero-Rivera’s father, Angel Rivera, has also been arrested in connection with Montalvo’s death. Despite the arrests, no murder charges have been filed. During a news conference Friday, Ayala said that as her office worked with investigators on the case, she advised the sheriff against making an arrest, because once an arrest is made, the amount of time prosecutors have to bring a killer to justice is limited. “Had the sheriff followed the advice and listened to my office, we would have an unlimited amount of time to gather sufficient evidence for successful prosecution and conviction, which is exactly what Nicole and her family deserve,” Ayala said. Moody’s letter said that Gibson had reached out to the Attorney General’s Office and expressed his concerns about the lack of a charging decision and indicated there was disagreement between his personnel and State Attorney Ayala’s personnel. After meeting with the sheriff, the Office of Statewide Prosecution requested a meeting with Ayala to review the case. Moody said Ayala initially accepted the meeting, but canceled it Friday morning. She held the news conference about the case late Friday morning. Moody closes the letter by saying it is the opinion of the Office of Statewide Prosecution that there are charges that could be filed against Christopher Otero-Rivera and Angel Rivera.

Florida Attorney General Ashely Moody weighed in Friday on the Nicole Montalvo murder case after the Orange-Osceola state attorney publicly stated that she does not like the way the Osceola sheriff has handled the case.

In a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis, Moody said that with the dispute between Aramis Ayala and Russ Gibson now public, she has the disagreements could result in a "miscarriage of justice."

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“This morning State Attorney Ayala held a press conference. You and your office can review that press conference in its entirety, but it is safe to say that the dispute between Sheriff Gibson and State Attorney Ayala is now public, personal, and appears to be acrimonious. Such acrimony is not conducive to the administration of fair and effective justice,” the letter said.

Montalvo's remains were found on an Osceola County property in October. Montalvo's husband, Christopher Otero-Rivera, was arrested and named a person of interest in the case, and several other members of Otero-Rivera’s family have also been implicated in the case. Otero-Rivera’s father, Angel Rivera, has also been arrested in connection with Montalvo’s death. Despite the arrests, no murder charges have been filed.

During a news conference Friday, Ayala said that as her office worked with investigators on the case, she advised the sheriff against making an arrest, because once an arrest is made, the amount of time prosecutors have to bring a killer to justice is limited.

“Had the sheriff followed the advice and listened to my office, we would have an unlimited amount of time to gather sufficient evidence for successful prosecution and conviction, which is exactly what Nicole and her family deserve,” Ayala said.

Moody’s letter said that Gibson had reached out to the Attorney General’s Office and expressed his concerns about the lack of a charging decision and indicated there was disagreement between his personnel and State Attorney Ayala’s personnel.

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After meeting with the sheriff, the Office of Statewide Prosecution requested a meeting with Ayala to review the case. Moody said Ayala initially accepted the meeting, but canceled it Friday morning.

She held the news conference about the case late Friday morning.

Moody closes the letter by saying it is the opinion of the Office of Statewide Prosecution that there are charges that could be filed against Christopher Otero-Rivera and Angel Rivera.