A drug dealer has been sentenced to 28 years in prison for his role in the robbery and fatal shooting of an innocent man who was wrongly targeted.
Jurors deliberated about three hours on Tuesday in finding Richard Rivera, 23, guilty of murder in the death of Francisco Tanguma.
On Wednesday, state district Judge George Gallagher assessed his punishment after a two-hour sentencing hearing.
During the trial, prosecutors Art Clayton and Robert Huseman presented evidence that on December 11, 2009, Rivera and two associates burst into the Arlington apartment of a man who Rivera believed ripped him off in a drug deal. Once inside, they terrorized and robbed the sleeping man and his girlfriend before shooting the man once in the groin.
Later, the assailants, who stole the victim’s speakers, cell phone and wallet, realized they had entered the wrong apartment and killed the wrong man.
Tanguma, who had just moved into the apartment in the 2300 block of Fair Oaks Drive two weeks earlier, was just 21 years old. With Rivera’s 28-year sentence, three of the four men who helped plan or participate in the botched home-invasion robbery have been brought to justice.
Angel Villegas, 21, who was among the men who burst into Tanguma’s apartment, pled guilty to murder and was sentenced to 20 years in prison in exchange for identifying the shooter and his truthful testimony against the others.
Richard Rivera
Reginald Dean, 27, who helped plan the robbery but showed up late, pled guilty to aggravated robbery and was sentenced to 15 years in exchange for giving truthful testimony.
The gunman has not been formally charged in the slaying, but the investigation is ongoing.
Melody McDonald
Public Information Officer
Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Office
401 West Belknap
Fort Worth, TX 76196
817-884-3120 (direct)
817-821-3935 (cell)
mjmcdonald@tarrantcounty.com
Twitter: @TarrantDAOffice