Christian Rivera-Pica and Joel Pagan-Garcia (Photos courtesy: Brown County Jail)
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Prosecutors dismissed charges Monday against two suspects in a November 2023 murder – just as one trial was scheduled to start today – but the charges could be re-filed.
Christian Rivera-Pica and Joel Pagan-Garcia were charged being party to first-degree intentional homicide for the murder of Carlos Otero-Aviles’ on Green Bay’s west side.
Both cases were dismissed Monday morning, just as Rivera-Pica’s trial was scheduled to start. Because they were dismissed without prejudice, court records show, the charges could be filed again.
The reason for the dismissals wasn’t immediately available. This story will be updated as information becomes available.
Monday’s development was the latest twist in cases which have had several unusual elements, including the two wanting to be tried together with the same attorney before a judge ruled against that plan.
The shooting happened Nov. 3, 2023, in the parking lot of an apartment complex in the 1700 block of Western Avenue. Witnesses said the incident took place during a party. No one else was injured.
Rivera-Pica denied involvement in the shooting to police. He said he was buying beer at the time of the shooting, but police could not confirm the alibi with the stores, according to the criminal complaint. Pagan-Garcia also denied involvement in the shooting.
Otero-Aviles told bystanders “Christian did it,” before he was taken to the hospital.
Phone GPS records placed Rivera-Pica at the shooting scene at the time of the incident, the complaint states.
Otero-Aviles was shot in the abdomen, causing his death, according to the autopsy cited in the complaint.
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