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Terry Rivera Pleads Guilty in 2024 Killing of 12-Year-Old, Gets 50 Years

Texas law limiting death-penalty eligibility by a child victim’s age shaped the outcome.

Overview

  • The 29-year-old entered the plea under an agreement in Harris County court on Jan. 20, 2026.
  • Investigators say he fired multiple rounds into a Cloverleaf apartment on March 4, 2024, killing Carlos Fernandez, 12.
  • Authorities reported the boy ran to protect his younger sisters as shots came through a window.
  • Rivera had previously been in a relationship with the boy’s mother and was arrested March 11, 2024 at the Brownsville border crossing after CBP biometric checks flagged a warrant.
  • His bond was set at $2 million after his capture, and his mother, Alva Cornejo, was later charged with hindering apprehension for allegedly helping him evade arrest.