A Salem man was charged Friday with murder after deputies say he shot and killed his girlfriend the night prior.
Cruz Hernandez-Rivera, 34, was charged with second-degree murder and three counts of unlawful use of a weapon.
Around 7:40 p.m. Thursday, a 911 caller said they had shot someone at a home on Southeast Elma Avenue just south of State Street, according to a Friday news release from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies arrived to find a 45-year-old woman with critical injuries and tried life-saving efforts. She was later pronounced dead at the scene.
The sheriff’s office identified the victim as 45-year-old Gloria Rivas-Castillo of Salem.
Deputies detained the 911 caller and called detectives from the sheriff’s office’s Criminal Investigations Unit to investigate Rivas-Castillo’s death.
They found the incident started as a “domestic disturbance” between Rivas-Castillo and her boyfriend, Hernandez-Rivera, according to the news release. No others were injured during the incident.
The weapon charges allege Hernandez-Rivera intended to use a firearm against two others and attempted to use it against a third person.
Hernandez-Rivera also had outstanding warrants for failing to appear in court on charges of invasion of personal privacy and attempted coercion, according to court documents, which list Rivas-Castillo as the victim in the latter charge.
The Marion County Jail roster showed he was booked Friday.
His arraignment is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. at the Marion County Circuit Court Annex, according to the news release.
The sheriff’s office said it would release no additional information, citing an open investigation.
“The family expresses their appreciation for the concern shown by the community and request they be given privacy to mourn their loss,” the news release said.
-Ardeshir Tabrizian
