Ex-Army civilian in murder case flown to U.S.

Ex-Army civilian in murder case flown to U.S.
The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Jan 10, 2008 12:05:00 EST

SYDNEY, Australia — A former Army civilian employee suspected in a California slaying was flown by chartered jet to Los Angeles after losing a five-year legal battle to stay in Australia, an official said Thursday.

Lawrence John Rivera, 36, who is wanted in the 2002 strangulation of 26-year-old Kristina Garcia in Barstow, Calif., was escorted by seven U.S. marshals from a Sydney prison Wednesday to a Learjet for his return to the U.S., New South Wales state Attorney-General John Hatzistergos’ spokesman Andrew Downs said.

Rivera, who was featured on the TV program “America’s Most Wanted,” faces one count of murder and a potential sentence of life in prison.

He was extradited a week after he unsuccessfully argued before a Sydney magistrate that his fear of flying should prevent his extradition to the U.S.

Prosecutors allege that Rivera strangled co-worker Garcia because she refused to have a date with him. Her body was dumped in California’s Mojave Desert in May 2002.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/01/ap_armycivilian_080110/