Providence Man Convicted After Stabbing Man To Death

PROVIDENCE, RI — A Providence man was convicted Thursday for stabbing a man to death in 2015.

A jury found Miguel Tebalan Rivera, 42, guilty of second-degree murder in connection to the death of Julio Perez Mejia, 36. Rivera was also found guilty of possession of a knife with a blade longer than three inches during the commission of a crime of violence.

"In 2015, Julio was stabbed and left to die because this defendant preferred to settle a score with callous violence," Attorney General Peter Neronha said. "Julio’s family, like so many other families affected by violent crime, must endure lifetimes of pain because someone chose to commit an act of senseless violence. We can, and we must do better as a community. I hope that this verdict brings some peace and closure to the victim’s family, and I’m grateful for the Providence Police Department’s partnership in the investigation and prosecution of this case."

During the trial, state prosecutors proved that on Dec. 23, 2015, Rivera stabbed and killed Mejia at an apartment in Providence. Around 6:30 p.m. Rivera walked into the Providence Police District 2 sub-station on Broad Street and told patrol officers he killed someone and offered to take them to the scene of the crime.

In a police cruiser, Rivera directed officers to an apartment on Moore Street. Once inside, officers found Julio Perez Mejia in a large pool of blood, unresponsive and suffering from several stab wounds. Emergency personnel responded to the scene and declared Mejia dead at 6:43 p.m.

"I want to thank the men and women of the Providence Police Department and the Attorney General’s Office for their diligent efforts and work throughout this case, resulting in justice for the victim of this senseless act of violence," Providence police Col. Oscar Perez said. "I hope that the outcome of this case gives the victim’s family some sense of peace and closure."

Rivera is being held without bail at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston. He will be sentenced at a later date.

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