Delaware County Daily Times - Feb 27, 2001 Article

Days before Katelyn vanished, Rivera threatened tot's mother

Delaware County Daily Times (Primos - Upper Darby, PA) - Tuesday, February 27, 2001

Author: MARLENE DiGIACOMO ; Of the Times Staff

MEDIA COURTHOUSE -- In the day's leading up to his 20-month-old daughter's disappearance and apparent death at his hands, Robert Rivera abused his estranged wife and threatened to kill her and bury her with lime.

Those allegations are contained in the latest pre-trial motion filed in Delaware County Court by Assistant District Attorney John F.X. Reilly. The prosecutor is seeking to present evidence at trial of Rivera 'a abuse of the baby's mother, Jennifer Helton, to establish a motive for the child's death.

Reilly charges that several violent acts occurred just prior to the Aug. 10, 1999 date when Rivera is alleged to have kidnapped and killed tiny Katelyn Rivera -Helton.

No trial date has been set for Rivera , who is facing first-degree murder charges and a possible death penalty in Katelyn ' killing.

Katelyn 's body has not been found, although a tiny shoe and sock identified by her mother as having been worn by the child was found on a Delaware highway. The toddler has not been seen since Aug. 10, 1999, after Rivera , 33, of Upper Chichester, barged into a babysitter's home and carried her away.

Judge Charles C. Keeler will hear arguments at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow on Reilly's motion to "introduce at trial evidence of other crimes, wrongs or acts" committed by Rivera .

Among the more than a half-dozen incidents listed by Reilly in his petition is one on July 27, 1999, when the "defendant threatened to kill Jennifer Helton and bury her with lime."

Also charged is that Rivera punched Helton on July 29, 1999 and destroyed some of her clothing. A similar attack occurred the next day when the "defendant threatened and assaulted Jennifer Helton and destroyed more of her clothing," according to the motion.

"The defendant physically abused Jennifer Helton by striking her on numerous occasions beginning late 1996," Reilly charges in his petition.

The prosecutor also lists an incident in October 1998, when he charges Rivera threw a pumpkin at Helton's car breaking the windshield and later "he destroyed Katelyn 's bedroom furniture."

To contact Marlene DiGiacomo, e-mail mdigiacomo@delcotimes.com