A 10‑year‑old from Connecticut shared a heartfelt message to the man who killed his father on the night they were supposed to go trick‑or‑treating at Halloween. Niko Rivera‑Paz, son of Fernando “Chino” Rivera, spoke directly to the judge in Milford Superior Court as Terrence Johnson got a 38‑year sentence for the 2020 stabbing that left Rivera dead.
Niko said, “I didn’t get enough time with dad. My dad deserved to stay. He was taken from me too early.” He was only five when his father never came home to celebrate Halloween, and Rivera never showed up again. The 35‑year‑old was attacked at the corner of Elm Street and Washington Avenue in West Haven, Connecticut, and died the next day at Yale New Haven Hospital.
Johnson, 18 at the time of the attack, had pleaded guilty and accepted a plea deal that dropped his potential life sentence to a range of 30‑45 years. Niko told the judge that he wanted the man to spend a century in jail, but he was satisfied that the 38‑year term was a step toward justice.
Rivera’s fiancée, Lindsee Baez, said it was a “semblance of justice” that the killer would now be behind bars for most of his life. She reminded Johnson that he had stolen a life, dreams, and love, and that no sentence could undo that damage.
Sources say Rivera was a 6‑foot, 350‑pound tattooed man who had become a devoted stay‑at‑home dad after the birth of Niko. He was affectionately called “Papa Bear” by friends and family. Baez recalled a 17‑year relationship that had seen its share of bumps, but she insisted that Rivera’s love and family choices brought him immense joy.
The case has drawn widespread sympathy in Connecticut. Legal officials celebrated the conviction, while residents mourn the loss of a man who died too young on a night that should have been filled with candy and laughter. The sentencing first appeared in local court reports and later drew national attention as people listened to the boy’s moving plea for closure.
Source: New York Post
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