VT - Dr Jozsef Piri from FL, arrested in 2021 for road rage murder of Roberto Fonseca-Rivera in 2019

[sleuthin4fun]

https://webpubcontent.gray.tv/wcax/docs/States Attorney Information and Probable Cause Affidavit.pdf

 

[sleuthin4fun]

Florida doctor is arrested for November 2019 murder of driver | Daily Mail Online

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Glad to see LE stuck w this investigation. I bet this dr thought he got away w it. Nope, guess not!

 

[sleuthin4fun]

Glad to see LE stuck w this investigation. I bet this dr thought he got away w it. Nope, guess not!

It sure appears that they have all their ducks in a row.
I am a nurse and live in the town where the good doctor relocated and was eventually arrested in.
I am certain he thought "out of sight out of mind".

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

In one of the articles I read it stated that the dr was right in front of the delivery truck when he shot the driver. How could he possibly hit the man’s head & neck with that type of shot, all the while driving too - I assume the dr was driving at the time.
If he shot from inside his car he would blow out his own back window. If he shot out his side window how could he make those shots w/o hanging out of his own window?
It’ll be interesting to follow any upcoming media reports.

 

[Warwick1991]

In one of the articles I read it stated that the dr was right in front of the delivery truck when he shot the driver. How could he possibly hit the man’s head & neck with that type of shot, all the while driving too - I assume the dr was driving at the time.
If he shot from inside his car he would blow out his own back window. If he shot out his side window how could he make those shots w/o hanging out of his own window?
It’ll be interesting to follow any upcoming media reports.

From the affidavit, Piri's vehicle was a Toyota Tundra truck. If the back windows of the cab were open, Piri could turn and shoot through the back window. The Tundra sits higher than a car, so it would be far easier to do this than from a sedan. The affidavit state that the rear window in Piri's truck was a power window that can be completely lowered vertically.

I would guess road rage, with Fonseca-Rivera going too slow for Piri's tastes.

 

[sleuthin4fun]

From the affidavit, Piri's vehicle was a Toyota Tundra truck. If the back windows of the cab were open, Piri could turn and shoot through the back window. The Tundra sits higher than a car, so it would be far easier to do this than from a sedan. The affidavit state that the rear window in Piri's truck was a power window that can be completely lowered vertically.

I would guess road rage, with Fonseca-Rivera going too slow for Piri's tastes.

In reading the affidavit Dr. Piri was traveling in front of Mr. Rivera. GPS indicated that Mr. Rivera sped up, and slowed down several times prior to coming to a complete stop. According to video surveillance Dr. Piri was in front of Mr. Rivera while traveling on 103. Is it possible that Mr. Rivera was shot by Dr. Piri while they were still moving, absolutely. I think the Dr. was probably a pretty good shot, and there may be more to come with regards to that.
It has been indicated that Mr. Rivera did not die immediately and was alive at least long enough to get his truck to the side of the road.

 

[sleuthin4fun]

Some things that make me go Hmmm....

-Was this road rage?
-Was this a hit?
-Was this a revenge killing of so sort (r/t victims priors)?

I am curious about the fact that the victim had not been out of prison a month before being gunned down.

 

[Warwick1991]

Some things that make me go Hmmm....

-Was this road rage?
-Was this a hit?
-Was this a revenge killing of so sort (r/t victims priors)?

I am curious about the fact that the victim had not been out of prison a month before being gunned down.

The DM article indicated police said that Piri and Fonseca-Rivera did not know each other. Piri would be unlikely hit man - he wouldn’t need either the money or the risk. The speeding up and slowing down by both drivers makes me think that Piri was speeding up and then braking to harass the truck - some kind of road rage game.

I have personal experience of road rage harassment of this type, with the driver in front of me trying to cause an accident where I’d rear-end his vehicle as he braked suddenly again and again. Fortunately, no firearms were involved.

I don’t think the victim’s history was a factor here.

 

[Gardenista]

This is crazy and it's amazing they caught this guy. Wonder if a high powered attorney will be able to get him off.

 

[Cryptic]

I think the Dr. was probably a pretty good shot, and there may be more to come with regards to that.

Good analysis.

Not to not nit pick, but proportionally few fire arms owners are truly good shots- and the kind of ability that enables one to hit targets while driving and while turning around is very rare.

In other words..... the doc probably just got "lucky".

I am hoping they set the bail high, very high given the totality of the circumstances and the fact that the doctor has nothing to lose in fleeing.

 

[sleuthin4fun]

The DM article indicated police said that Piri and Fonseca-Rivera did not know each other. Piri would be unlikely hit man - he wouldn’t need either the money or the risk. The speeding up and slowing down by both drivers makes me think that Piri was speeding up and then braking to harass the truck - some kind of road rage game.

I have personal experience of road rage harassment of this type, with the driver in front of me trying to cause an accident where I’d rear-end his vehicle as he braked suddenly again and again. Fortunately, no firearms were involved.

I don’t think the victim’s history was a factor here.

They may not have known "each other", but did Piri know his victim?
I would think the best type of hitman would be one who we would consider "unlikely".
Road rage is most probable, but I have watched and read too much.
People are crazy!

 

[Countem]

Doctor said he was having a 's**t day' before road-rage murder

Doctor arrested two years after fatal road rage murder in Vermont said he was having a 's**t day' | Daily Mail Online

Article bullet points:

• Jozsef Piri, 49, a doctor in Naples, Florida, was arrested in the death of Roberto Fonseca-Rivera, 44, on November 1, 2019, Vermont State Police said
• Fonseca-Rivera, a truck driver for Katsiroubas Bros was found shot to death in the produce truck he was driving on Route 103 in Rockingham, Vermont
• At the time, Piri lived in Connecticut and was returning home from his secondary property in Londonderry, Vermont
• He was driving immediately in front of Fonseca-Rivera just before the shooting
• Fonseca-Rivera, who was on the phone talking to a friend before being shot, started complaining about Piri's reckless driving
• The friend told police he heard Fonseca-Rivera take a 'deep inhale' before a loud noise went off, sounding as if the victim's cellphone dropped onto the floor
• The doctor, who didn't admit to the shooting in that interview, said he had been having a 's**t day,' and didn't sleep well the night before the shooting
• Piri is currently awaiting extradition to Vermont from Florida

In the article, there was an abundance of other information, including the following.

Interviewed a day after the shooting, Piri had allegedly told police that he hadn't slept well the night prior to the incident and was irritated by his discovery of the costs linked to his renovations at his secondary home.

An affidavit related to the case states that 'the bullet came from outside the cab of the [produce] truck, and it was fired from in front of the truck.' A 9 mm caliber handgun that was found by investigators had the 'same general rifling class characteristics' as the bullet found in Fonseca-Rivera's neck.

[Piri] is currently awaiting extradition to Vermont, although the exact date for that remains unknown.

The doctor's trial date also remains unknown. If he is found guilty in court, then Piri could face life imprisonment with a presumptive minimum term of twenty years.

 

[Countem]

This article also has some interesting tidbits, so I am linking it, as well.

Former Connecticut physician to be arraigned on murder charges in Vermont for alleged 2019 road rage shooting

Police also searched Piri’s residences in Londonderry and West Simsbury, recovering a 9 mm caliber handgun from the former. Police said the gun’s barrel and slide, two items needed to conduct forensic analysis, were missing.

A further analysis of the weapon revealed it had the “same general rifling class characteristics” as the bullet that was found lodged in Fonseca-Rivera’s neck, according to court documents, but the two could not be definitively matched due to the missing barrel and slide.

Piri also appeared to inadvertently reveal to police that he knew the exact location where the homicide took place. Piri told investigators he tracked how long it took to get from the homicide scene to the car wash he stopped at on his way home from Vermont, according to court documents.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Florida doctor pleads not guilty to road rage murder in Vermont

In court, both the state and the defense came to an agreement on conditions for making Piri eligible to be released on bail pending trial. Piri must turn over all passports to the Vermont State Police. He must also turn over all firearms and muzzleloaders to police in Vermont and Florida. The attorneys agreed Piri could then be released on $250,000 bail.

Piri is currently being held without bail pending his cooperation with the court-ordered conditions. His attorneys say they hope to have him released by the end of the week.

 

[Warwick1991]

Florida doctor pleads not guilty to road rage murder in Vermont

In court, both the state and the defense came to an agreement on conditions for making Piri eligible to be released on bail pending trial. Piri must turn over all passports to the Vermont State Police. He must also turn over all firearms and muzzleloaders to police in Vermont and Florida. The attorneys agreed Piri could then be released on $250,000 bail.

Piri is currently being held without bail pending his cooperation with the court-ordered conditions. His attorneys say they hope to have him released by the end of the week.

He'll probably flee, IMO. He's got lots of money, and may have relatives overseas. The article noted passports, not a passport, meaning he is probably a dual national with more than one passport. The only thing that might inhibit his travels would be Covid restrictions, disruptions to travel and border closures.

 

[sleuthin4fun]

He'll probably flee, IMO. He's got lots of money, and may have relatives overseas. The article noted passports, not a passport, meaning he is probably a dual national with more than one passport. The only thing that might inhibit his travels would be Covid restrictions, disruptions to travel and border closures.

All one needs to do is read through the affidavit to determine he should not be released. He is a flight risk for certain. If he is released, he should be sent to Vermont and monitored.

 

[Countem]

Doctor Pleads Not Guilty in Shooting Death of Boston Man on Vt. Roadway

The lengthy affidavit says surveillance video puts Piri's vehicle directly in front of the produce truck at the time of the gunfire.

The evidence mounting against the defendant seems to be substantial, but I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised by the not guilty plea.

 

[Countem]

Florida doctor's lawyers promote 'alternative shooter' in motions

BRATTLEBORO — The Florida doctor charged with shooting a truck driver to death in 2019 in Rockingham during an alleged road rage incident is raising questions about an “alternative shooter”

www.benningtonbanner.com

BBM

[JP] is raising questions about an “alternative shooter” scenario, and has said his defense team needs access to additional police materials as they conduct their own investigation into the murder.

[A] review of Piri’s cellphone showed he started searching for information about a shooting in Rockingham even before Fonseca-Rivera’s body was discovered by police.

[JP’s lawyers] also raised the possibility that Fonseca-Rivera was the victim of retaliation from his former fellow criminal co-defendants in a drug conspiracy case, whom he testified against in court. Fonseca-Rivera received a lighter sentence from prosecutors as a result of his cooperation, Piri’s lawyers claimed. And they also noted that his home in Boston was shot at a couple of months before his death, by a 9 mm handgun, the same caliber weapon believed to have killed him in Rockingham.

 

[Countem]

'A little sneaky': Judge voids defense subpoena in road rage homicide case

BRATTLEBORO — A local judge has voided a defense subpoena served on the Vermont State Police in a case of alleged road rage homicide in Rockingham in 2019.

www.benningtonbanner.com

A local judge has voided a defense subpoena served on the Vermont State Police in a case of alleged road rage homicide in Rockingham in 2019.

Before voiding the subpoena, [the judge] told the defense to refine its discovery request and meet with [the Deputy State’s Attorney].

[The judge] gave the defense and the prosecution 30 days to hammer out the discovery requests.