Man Charged In NYC Triple Homicide Had Prior Arrests In Hoboken, Union City

NORTH JERSEY, NJ — The man accused of killing three people in Manhattan at random on Monday had been arrested twice in Hudson County, N.J. earlier this year, according to court records — once in Hoboken and once in nearby Union City.

On Monday, Ramon Rodriguez-Rivera, 51, was charged in connection with the fatal stabbings of three people in a two-hour period that morning: a 36-year-old construction worker at his 19th Street worksite, a 67-year-old man who was fishing in the East River, and a 36-year-old woman on East 42nd Street.

A police officer apprehended Rodriguez-Rivera shortly after the third stabbing, around 11 a.m., according to reporting in Patch. READ MORE: 3 Dead In Manhattan Stabbings; Suspect Charged, NYPD Says

New Jersey Arrests

An indictment says that on Jan. 11 of this year, Ramon L. Rodriguez-Rivera entered the Green Room, a CBD store on 14th Street in Hoboken, and stole more than $500 worth of Mason jars containing CBD buds and other products.

Hoboken police records say that Rodriguez-Rivera was caught days later when someone smashed the door to the CBD store after 3 a.m. and a burglar alarm went off. Police responded and captured Rodriguez-Rivera, whom they recognized from the prior theft. He gave a Bronx address, according to police.

Also, on Jan. 15, Rodriguez-Rivera stole more than $500 in items from Hi Wireless on Bergenline Avenue in Union City, which is northwest of Hoboken, records show.

A source familiar with the matters said that Rodriguez-Rivera was released on pretrial monitoring in accordance with the Criminal Justice Reform Act, because the offenses were not violent.

News of the prior arrests comes at a time when law enforcement and residents in Hoboken have expressed frustrations about "bail reform" laws, which have allowed nonviolent repeat offenders to be released soon after their arrest.

In 2017, residents voted in favor of the laws, which were meant to keep violent offenders in prison rather than allowing them to be released on cash bail. However, the same "reforms" also made it easier for repeat nonviolent offenders to leave soon after their incarceration, law enforcement officials have c0mplained.

At some point after Rodriguez-Rivera was indicted in Hudson County this year, the court issued bench warrants for failure to appear, said a spokesperson for the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office.

Officials on Monday gave a Manhattan address for Rodriguez-Rivera. READ MORE: 3 Dead In Manhattan Stabbings; Suspect Charged, NYPD Says

See the indictments below.