A man suspected of carrying out a deadly stabbing spree in Manhattan on Monday had been released from jail only a month before, despite an extensive criminal record and a history of mental health issues, according to The New York Post. Law enforcement sources identified 51-year-old Ramon Rivera as the primary person of interest in the attacks.
Rivera’s release from Rikers Island on October 17 followed a time-served sentence for multiple burglary and assault convictions. His return to the streets has raised serious concerns among city officials, with Mayor Eric Adams questioning how someone with such a background was able to walk free. “We’re investigating his history and the circumstances around his release,” Adams said.
Rivera’s criminal activities allegedly resumed the very day he was released. Court documents show he was arrested again after stealing a high-value decorative bowl from a luxury store in Tribeca. Prosecutors pushed for bail, but the court instead allowed his release on the condition that he return for a December 4 hearing.
Rivera has been entangled in the justice system for decades, accumulating at least eight arrests in New York City alone. He also has a history of mental health crises, including multiple encounters with NYPD officers during psychiatric episodes late last year.
His most recent incarceration stemmed from a spree of burglaries in Manhattan. Investigators say that beginning in December 2023, Rivera targeted small businesses such as bodegas and smoke shops, breaking in to steal cigarettes, vaping products, and other merchandise. He was arrested in February 2024 and remained in custody for months as prosecutors consolidated multiple charges against him.
In August, Rivera pleaded guilty to burglary and received a one-year sentence. He later admitted to assaulting a corrections officer during a psychiatric evaluation at Bellevue Hospital, which added a concurrent 90-day term. Rivera served roughly nine months before being released.
Rivera’s legal troubles are not confined to New York. Earlier this year, he was apprehended in New Jersey on charges of theft and criminal mischief. In Ohio, he faced an assault charge in 2017, and his record in Florida includes arrests for domestic violence, solicitation, and driving under the influence dating back to the early 2000s.
