OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Friday that slain Osceola County mother Nicole Montalvo’s murder case will be reassigned to State Attorney Brad King of the Fifth Judicial Circuit.
• “At the end of the day this is not about a particular sheriff or state attorney or governor, this is about Nicole and her memory. She can not speak for herself, so we as Floridians need to make sure justice is done on her behalf,” DeSantis said.
The governor and montalvos family is here in Osceola county and governor just announced the case will be removed from Aramis Ayala . #wftv
— Shannon Butler (@SButlerWFTV) January 31, 2020
• At the news conference, Montalvo’s brother said he fully supports DeSantis’ decision.
• So far no formal murder charges have been filed in the case, but the sheriff has previously identified her estranged husband, Christopher Otero-Rivera, and father-in-law, Angel Rivera, as suspects in the case. Ayala said her office had not been presented enough evidence to file charges yet.
• Montalvo’s dismembered body was found on property owned by the Rivera family.
• “Under the current circumstances, I believe moving the case under State Attorney King’s jurisdiction provides the best chance for the Montalvo family to receive the justice they deserve,” DeSantis said in a news release.
• The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office tweeted its reaction to the announcement Friday afternoon.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank Governor Ron DeSantis for reviewing the case of Nicole Montalvo and using his discretion to issue his executive order thereby assigning this case to State Attorney Brad King. pic.twitter.com/Fcwb9WjwCa
— Osceola Sheriff (@OsceolaSheriff) January 31, 2020
We also want to take a moment to recognize the Montalvo family, the strength and dignity you have displayed as a family is second to none and our commitment to you is that we will never forget and never stop working for Nicole.
— Osceola Sheriff (@OsceolaSheriff) January 31, 2020
• Attorney General Ashley Moody released a statement addressing the news. Moody had originally asked the governor to look into the case, saying she feared tensions between Gibson and Ayala could prevent justice from being served.
“Today, Governor DeSantis took bold action to ensure fair and effective justice in the Nicole Montalvo murder case, and I would like to thank the Governor for taking my request and the concerns of the victim’s family seriously,” she wrote.
• State Attorney Brad King’s office could come to the same conclusion as Ayala’s office, but he there’s a chance they won’t, which is what the Montalvo family is hoping for. The date King needs to file charges by is April 19.
• In a news conference Friday afternoon, Ayala said while she does not believe DeSantis’ executive order was completely factual, she does not plan to fight it. “I stand by the prosecutors in my office who said there should not be an arrest,” she said.
Watch DeSantis’ full statement below:
Watch Ayala’s response in full below:
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