South Carolina waits its turn to try Rivera

Aiken will wait its turn on Rivera

Web posted Saturday, February 3, 2001

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By Greg Rickabaugh
South Carolina Bureau

AIKEN - Aiken County officials say they did not expect Georgia to give up slaying suspect Reinaldo J. Rivera in a hearing this week.

But when the Aiken County Sheriff's Office filed a routine fugitive warrant in connection with two Aiken County slayings, a Georgia judge was required to hold a hearing to address it, Assistant Solicitor Bill Weeks said Friday.

``It happens every time,'' he said. ``The fugitive warrant gets dismissed, and when we get ready to extradite (Mr. Rivera), we send (the judge) a notice over there.''

Mr. Weeks said once they attempt extradition, a judge in Georgia sets a hearing, and Mr. Rivera either waives extradition or fights it. Eventually, he would be brought back to South Carolina.

Georgia is seeking the death penalty against Mr. Rivera for two slayings, so Augusta District Attorney Danny Craig might not be done with the suspect for a while.

If Georgia sentences Mr. Rivera to death, it is unclear whether South Carolina would attempt to put him on trial for the slayings of Tiffaney Wilson and Melissa Dingess.

Mr. Rivera has been indicted on murder charges in Superior Court in Richmond and Columbia counties in the Sept. 4 attack on Marni Glista and the slaying of Tabatha Bosdell, whose body was found Oct. 14.

Authorities from Richmond and Aiken counties found Mr. Rivera, 37, in a bloody Clearwater motel room with his wrists slashed Oct. 12.

Reach Greg Rickabaugh at (803) 279-6895 or scbureau@augustachronicle.com.

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