Cranston Man Sentenced For 'Cold-Blooded' Providence Shooting: AG

CRANSTON, RI—When Providence Police arrived at 126 Lowell Ave., in the early morning of Dec. 4, 2016, they walked into a grisly scene. The victim, Juan Croussette , had staggered out to the street where he collapsed. He was covered in blood. Croussette had been shot as he tried to save his girl friend's two daughters, 7 and 8. Their father, Alberto Rivera, had broken into the home through the sliding glass door to the living room, where the girls were sleeping.

Croussette ran to save them. Rivera shot him point blank in the neck, according to the state Attorney General's office.

Then Rivera trained the gun on his ex-wife, Brenda Villanueva, while their 8-year-old begged him not to shoot her mother. He fled. Later he called Villanueva and threatened to "blow her brains out" if she identified him to police.

On Wednesday, Rivera was sentenced to life plus 30 consecutive years, non-parolable, for shooting Croussette, who survived. He also was sentenced to 25 years (concurrent) for being an habitual offender.

The case went to trial, and Rivera was found guilty, the Attorney General's office said, of these offenses: "assault with a dangerous weapon (firearm) in a dwelling with the intent to murder Juan Croussette, burglary, assault with a dangerous weapon, discharging a firearm while committing a crime of violence, use of a firearm while committing a crime of violence, possession of a firearm after having previously been convicted of a crime of violence, and carrying a firearm without a license."

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