Guy Rivera: Ex-con suspected of NYPD cop's killing had shiv hidden in rectum for self defense in jail
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
QUEENS, NEW YORK: Guy Rivera, the ex-convict suspected of the murder of NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller, was found to have a homemade shiv concealed in his rectum, according to a police source.
Reports suggest that career criminal Rivera was anticipating potential trouble, as evidenced by the weapon found during his hospitalization subsequent to the fatal confrontation.
Insights into tragic shooting of Officer Jonathan Diller
The fatal confrontation occurred when Officer Diller and his partner approached a Kia Soul parked illegally at a bus stop in Far Rockaway, Queens on Monday evening, March 25.
According to reports from officials and law enforcement sources, the fallen officer, a devoted husband, and father to a 1-year-old son, was shot in the stomach while attempting to remove the suspect, from the passenger seat of a vehicle near 19-19 Mott Avenue in Far Rockaway. Remarkably, even after being shot, the NYPD officer managed to disarm the shooter before his partner returned fire, striking Rivera.
Both Rivera and the driver of the vehicle, identified as 41-year-old Lindy Jones, have extensive criminal backgrounds, according to records, with the former having been arrested on gun charges as recently as April last year.
Law enforcement suspected criminal activity prior to fatal tragedy
Rivera was transported to the hospital, where an X-ray uncovered a homemade shiv concealed in his person, described as a sharp razor or small knife, according to the source. Law enforcement officials speculate that the suspect possessed the weapon, which measured less than 4 inches and thus was not illegal, in anticipation of potential arrest that day, intending to use it for self-defense in the event of incarceration. Although the exact nature of the anticipated crime remains unclear.
Video footage suggests Rivera and the Kia's driver, Jones, spent a considerable amount of time parked in front of a T-Mobile store, prompting speculation of possible criminal activity. “It’s possible they were casing somebody or something on that commercial strip,’’ the source claimed.
Officer Diller was the initial observer of the illegally parked individuals and sensed that something was not right. “The cop had very good instincts. We believe they interrupted something, we just don’t know what,” reported New York Post. As of Tuesday, neither Rivera nor Jones had faced charges related to the heroic officers death.
Guy Rivera and Lindy Jones' troubling criminal history
Rivera has a history of 21 prior arrests, primarily for offenses related to drugs and assault. He served a five-year prison sentence for drug-related charges, being released in 2021 and completing parole the following year.
Jones, described as another hardened career criminal, has been arrested at least 14 times, including for robbery, assault, and attempted murder in 2001, resulting in a ten-year prison term. Most recently, He was apprehended last April for possession of a loaded illegal firearm. His next court appearance in this matter is scheduled for April 1.
Jones was previously accused in 2001 of shooting an individual with whom he had a prior altercation. The shooting resulted in the victim sustaining two gunshot wounds, one to the chest and one to the leg, leading to a collapsed lung. Additionally, he allegedly stole the victim’s neck chain following the incident, as per court documents.
Mayor Eric Adams expressed profound concern over the escalating recidivism problem. “We have a real recidivism problem with these two individuals," Mayor Adams said. "Bad guys no longer fear the police. They feel emboldened to do whatever they want. The foundation of the public-safety apparatus is dissolving in front of our eyes."
