UBM– After shooting and killing a grandma who was 62 years old and walking from a parking lot to her gym, a man from Texas who was only 16 years old at the time will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
In the murder of Elsa Mikeska, 62, Ricardo Rivas, who was 20 years old at the time, found out his fate on Friday. In exchange for avoiding the death penalty and becoming eligible for parole after thirty years, he entered a guilty plea to the charge of murder.
Mikeska was found dead by Rivas on June 17, 2021, at around 4:50 a.m., outside of her gym located in the 10500 block of Fuqua Street, according to the authorities.
As soon as Mikeska parked her vehicle, the chain of events that led to the murder that occurred before daybreak began. An SUV carrying Rivas and four other teenagers drew up next to her, and two of the occupants got out of the vehicle. The perpetrators came up to Mikeska as she was walking toward the entrance of the gym and yelled out to her. Mikeska sprinted in the direction of the fitness center.
There was a shot produced. It was Mikeska who was hit. Near the entrance to the gym, she passed away after collapsing. The perpetrators of the attack re-entered their SUV and made it away. In an effort to identify and apprehend those responsible for the shooting, the Houston Police Department has made available security footage of the incident.
Rivas was taken into custody a few days later, after it was reported that he boasted about his criminal activities to a female on Instagram. A picture of his Greyhound bus ticket to Dallas and, ultimately, Mexico was one among the pieces of information that he shared on his social media account. According to the local CBS affiliate KHOU, he did this in order to “stay low.” Before he could leave Houston, law enforcement officers located him at the bus terminal in the area and placed him under custody.
The investigation revealed that Rivas and the other teenagers attempted to steal a woman’s automobile approximately one hour prior to Mikeska’s death. However, they were unsuccessful in their attempt since the vehicle was not functioning properly.
Three of the four teenagers who were with Rivas that morning were taken into custody and sentenced for their involvement in the murder of Mikeska. According to KHOU, a drive-by gunshot resulted in the death of a fourth adolescent in the previous year.
At approximately the same time that Mikeska was murdered, her husband passed away. Family members have expressed their belief to KHOU that he was unable to cope with the loss.
As a mother, wife, sister, daughter, grandmother, aunt, and loving friend, Mikeska was remembered by many who mourned her passing.
The message that was posted on her GoFundMe page read, “We are all heartbroken for the loss of our dear Elsa.”
