Carlos Montalvo-Rivera, 55, has been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison, 13 years after setting fire to his own house, resulting in the death of his wife
A Pennsylvania man who set fire to his own home and killed his wife while his three children were also inside has been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison, 13 years after the deadly crime occurred.
Carlos Montalvo-Rivera, now 55, was charged with first-degree murder, arson and three counts of attempted criminal manslaughter for the December 2010 fire, in which he claimed to have been tied up by intruders.
The judge at his sentencing called his story “crippled.”
Prosecutors explained how Montalvo-Rivera decided to tie himself up in an effort to also appear as a victim rather than perpetrator of the sickening murder.
Montalvo-Rivera continued to deny his role in the crime, but the jury saw through his lies.
Lancaster County Judge Dennis Reinaker expressed his own disbelief at Montalvo-Rivera’s fabricated story at the sentencing hearing, emphasizing that the jury’s decision to find him guilty also reflected their complete disbelief in his account of the events reflected.
“The lame story you made up and stuck to just didn’t make sense. The jury didn’t believe you, and I think they should,” Judge Reinaker said.
Montalvo-Rivera went to great lengths to make himself appear as a victim rather than a perpetrator by tying himself up after setting his house on fire in 2010.
He claimed that intruders broke into his house, killed his wife, Olga Sanchez-Reyes, and set the house on fire; his three young children managed to escape the fire
In his fabricated story, Montalvo-Rivera claimed that intruders broke into his house, killed his wife, Olga Sanchez-Reyes, pictured, and set their house on fire – but it was all lies
Assistant District Attorney Christine Wilson described the crime as a cold-blooded murder.
“This was an absolutely brutal and heinous crime involving multiple victims. It was a cold-blooded murder. Although the defendant refuses to answer for his actions, he was found guilty by a jury of his peers,” she said.
Wilson expressed satisfaction that after years of delay, justice had been served for the victim’s family.
“Justice has been delayed, but the victim’s family has finally received it,” she said.
In his made-up storyMontalvo-Rivera claimed that intruders broke into his house, killed his wife, Olga Sanchez-Reyes, and set the house on fire.
A lengthy nine-year investigation proved his claims false. He was subsequently arrested and charged in 2019
Olga Sanchez-Reyes died in the fire at her home after her husband doused the place with gasoline before setting it on fire
He claimed the intruders were retaliating against his brother, who had cooperated with the Drug Enforcement Administration on an unrelated matter.
He claimed to have slept, but woke up to the smell of smoke and the sounds of his wife arguing with a stranger.
Montalvo-Rivera said he was hit on the head and lost consciousness, only to arrive tied up and the house on fire about 45 minutes later.
A lengthy nine-year investigation proved his claims completely false. He was subsequently arrested and charged in 2019.
Prosecutors outlined in crushing detail how Montalvo-Rivera murdered his wife by pouring gasoline down the stairs leading to her bedroom before setting the house on fire.
The couple’s three children, then eight, nine, and thirteen, were still in the third-floor home. Incredibly managed to escape through a door on the first floor and go up to the roof.
Montalvo-Rivera then tied himself up to mislead investigators.
A neighbor, Jonathan Santiago, was hailed as a hero after hearing the children’s cries for help from the roof.
He managed to organize a rescue operation together with other neighbors.
Santiago climbed four adjacent rooftops to reach the two children stranded on the roof of Montalvo-Rivera and saved their lives.
“Without the brave actions of a neighbour, the incident would likely have been even more tragic as he helped save the lives of two of the children by getting them to safety from the burning building,” Lancaster Police Station said. in 2019.
Following the fire, Montalvo-Rivera’s eight and nine-year-old daughters were taken to hospital in critical condition, while his 13-year-old son also required medical treatment.