Judge drops warrant in Rivera extradition

Web posted Friday, February 2, 2001

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By Sandy Hodson
Staff Writer

The extradition process that led to Reinaldo J. Rivera's first courtroom visit ended Thursday when a judge dismissed a South Carolina fugitive warrant for the murder suspect.

Mr. Rivera, 37, is wanted on both sides of the Savannah River in the sexual assaults and slayings of four women - two in Georgia and two in South Carolina.

Reinaldo Rivera, 37, faces charges in the killings of four young women and an attack on another. FILE/STAFF

After his Oct. 13 arrest by the Richmond County Sheriff's Office, Mr. Rivera was named as a suspect in the Dec. 4, 1999, killing of 17-year-old Tiffaney S. Wilson and the July 17, 1999, slaying of 17-year-old Melissa F. Dingess, both in South Carolina. Arrest warrants were issued in Aiken County, and a fugitive warrant was sent to Augusta.

On Oct. 27, Richmond County Civil Court Presiding Judge H. Scott Allen held a brief hearing on the extradition issue. Because Mr. Rivera's attorney, Peter Johnson, announced his client would not waive extradition, South Carolina authorities had a maximum of 90 days to formally request extradition through the governor's office.

That never happened.

``In fact, we haven't received any informal communication (either),'' Assistant District Attorney Michael Carlson told Judge Allen at Thursday's hearing.

Georgia law is clear that once a fugitive warrant is received, a governor's warrant from the requesting state must be received within 90 days, Judge Allen said. He agreed with Mr. Johnson that his only option was to dismiss the fugitive warrant Wednesday.

South Carolina can, however, renew its request for extradition at any time.

Mr. Rivera will remain in the Richmond County jail. He has been indicted on murder charges in Superior Court in Richmond and Columbia counties in the Sept. 4 attack on Augusta resident and Fort Gordon Sgt. Marni Glista, 21, which led to her death Sept. 9; the sexual assault and slaying of 18-year-old Tabatha Bosdell, whose remains were found in Columbia County on Oct. 14; and the Oct. 10 sexual assault and attempted killing of an 18-year-old Augusta woman.

Reach Sandy Hodson at (706) 823-3226.

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