Murder Suspect Killed in Homicide Investigation at Santa Rita Jail

Elias Angel Rivera, awaiting trial for a deadly DUI crash, was fatally injured in custody, marking the jail's first in-custody death of 2025.

Elias Angel Rivera, 37, died early Tuesday after being injured in his cell at Santa Rita Jail; his death is being investigated as a homicide.
Rivera's cellmate activated an emergency call button late Monday to report his injuries, but no details about a suspect or arrests have been disclosed.
Rivera was held on charges from a 2022 wrong-way DUI crash that killed Heidi Gerrish and injured three others while he was driving with a suspended license.
His death marks the 72nd in-custody fatality at Santa Rita Jail since 2014 and the facility's first such death in 2025.
Santa Rita Jail has faced scrutiny over systemic issues, with homicides in custody being relatively rare; the last occurred in September 2023.