Courtesy photo                       Kennett Square Borough resident Javier Rivera was arrested and taken into custody during the early-morning hours of Aug. 11 for allegedly stabbing a 69-year-old man to death during an attempted car theft incident that occurred at approximately 8:15 p.m. on Aug. 10 along Crestline Drive in Kennett Square Borough.

By Richard L. Gaw, Staff Writer

The quiet community of Kennett Square Borough was recently shaken to its core during a six-hour ordeal that began on the evening of Aug. 10 with an attempted car theft that led to the stabbing death of a 69-year-old Borough resident and the eventual arrest of Javier Rivera, a 33-year-old of Kennett Square, who is currently in Chester County Prison without bail, as he faces First Degree Murder and related charges.

At press time, Rivera is refusing to issue a statement to authorities.

At approximately 8:15 p.m., the Kennett Township Police Department responded to a significant call for service on Crestline Drive located near the Church of the Advent on North Union Street, indicating that Rivera had attempted to steal a BMW from the driveway of the victim, who lived in the home and owned the car. After arguing with Rivera, the victim was chased by Rivera up his driveway and was stabbed by Rivera in the torso and the neck, killing him.

The victim has not yet been identified by authorities.

After stabbing the victim, Rivera fled the scene on foot and attempted to steal two cars on North Union Street. He eventually stole a vehicle but soon after he began driving, he struck a gray Honda Accord. When the drivers of the Accord exited the car to exchange information, Rivera stole the Accord.

As police continued to locate Rivera, he was identified later that evening as driving another stolen car toward West Chester and was confronted by two residents after he broke into a home on South New Street. Using advanced search technology, the Kennett Township Police were able to identify the whereabouts of the solen car Rivera was driving from West Chester – identified as a Honda CRV - toward his Kennett Square Borough residence on Las Rosas Drive. He was then arrested by authorities at 1:36 a.m. on the morning of Aug. 11.

Rivera was wearing the same clothes as was reported by witnesses to the murder of the Crestline Drive resident and had a laceration on his right palm and a reddish-brown substance – consistent with dried blook – on his shoes and shirt. Kennett Township Police are currently conducting processes to determine DNA comparisons between the blood pf the deceased and the alleged murderer, which were found on the suspect’s clothing.

According to an account given to the Chester County Press by Kennett Township Police Chief Matthew Gordon, the incident was first investigated by Corporal Amanda Wenrich and Police Officers David Ford and Colin Vannicolo. When they arrived a short distance from the scene, they saw a burgundy Chevy Equinox in the middle of the road, and a person walking away from the vehicle.

“Officer Vannicolo thought it may have been a subcontract delivery person delivering a package, but he had a call to respond to, which was for an act of a car theft in progress. When he got the call, he found out that there was a deceased person at that scene.”

“We have Rivera leaving the street through cameras near the Church of the Advent. He then started walking on driveways along North Union Street and trying to jiggle car doors and see what was open.”

Gordon gave credit for the assistance his department received from officers belonging to the Kennett Square Borough Police, the Southern Chester County Regional Police, as well as one dozen troopers from the Pennsylvania State Police Avondale and representatives from the Chester County Detectives.

The investigation is being led by the Chester County Detectives. If anyone has information about the investigation, they are asked to contact the Chester County Detectives at (610) 344-6866.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].