WEST NEW YORK — A teenage boy charged in a fatal beating earlier this year will be prosecuted as an adult for the murder of 29-year-old Abraham Rivera of West New York.
On Thursday, Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio confirmed that West New York resident Kevin Linares, who is now 17, is being charged as an adult in the case.
Rivera, who worked as a busboy at a restaurant in Union City, was found bloody and unconscious in the early hours of June 6, without identification and his pockets turned inside out, outside of an internet café on 61st Street.
It is believed that he was walking home from his Saturday night shift when he was attacked.
Rivera sustained blunt force trauma to the head, neck, and face, and died within hours of being taken to the hospital.
Four days later, the teenage suspect turned himself in after a massive search had been launched, and he was charged with felony murder and robbery.
Now being prosecuted as an adult, the teen will face more severe punishment if convicted.
Although at one point during the investigation DeFazio had mentioned other young individuals may have been involved in the attack, on Thursday he said that Linares is the only individual charged and investigators do no anticipate any other arrests in the matter.