Jury convicts Elvia Cabrera in the killing of 16‑year‑old Gabriela Nicole Pratts
- The San Juan Daily Star
- 2 hours ago
- 5 min read
By THE STAR STAFF
After 23 hours of deliberation, a jury of seven women and five men unanimously found Elvia Cabrera Rivera guilty on Thursday of first‑degree murder and weapons violations in connection with the death of 16‑year‑old Gabriela “Lela” Nicole Pratts Rosario.
The verdict, delivered in the Aibonito courthouse, concluded a 23‑day trial focused on whether prosecutors proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Cabrera Rivera acted as a co‑perpetrator by handing the murder weapon to her daughter, Anthonieska Avilés Cabrera, and participating in the events that led to the teenager’s death. The defense argued that the case was built on inconsistent testimony, investigative flaws, and a lack of scientific evidence linking the accused to the crime.
The killing occurred on the night of Aug. 10, 2025, during Aibonito’s Municipal Summer Closing Festival. Evidence presented at trial showed that a fight among several youths near the Roberto Colón bypass escalated into a stabbing. Gabriela Nicole stepped in to defend her sister, Lismary Torres Rosario, and was stabbed 11 times -- including once in the heart -- according to the autopsy conducted by the Institute of Forensic Sciences. Another young man, Chrisangel González Rodríguez, was also injured but survived and later testified.
From the outset, prosecutors maintained that Cabrera Rivera and her daughter acted “in common and mutual accord.” According to their theory, Cabrera Rivera retrieved a sharp object from her purse, handed it to her daughter, and thereby facilitated the fatal attack.
During closing arguments, prosecutor Silda Rubio Barreto told jurors that Cabrera Rivera had a duty to stop the violence but instead fueled it.
“This woman, Elvia Cabrera, fed the violence,” Rubio Barreto said. “She looked for an object and gave it to her daughter -- that is a fact. A mother who had the duty to stop that violence encouraged it. She was not a spectator; her participation was active.”
Prosecutors also argued that multiple witnesses saw Cabrera Rivera remove an object from her purse before the attack, that others saw her pick up an object afterward, and that the investigation revealed attempts to influence witnesses and eliminate evidence -- including the murder weapon, which was never recovered. In rebuttal, prosecutor Myriam Nieves Vera insisted the weapon was missing because it had been removed from the scene and that the accused hid other evidence as well.
The defense rejected those claims, asserting that the case relied on speculation and contradictory accounts. Attorney Alberto Rivera Ramos emphasized that the murder weapon was never found, that no forensic evidence tied Cabrera Rivera to the killing, and that investigators mishandled evidence collection and analysis.
“The trial is not about whether a tragedy occurred, whether a death occurred,” Rivera Ramos told jurors. “The question here is different: Did the prosecution prove beyond a reasonable doubt that she is guilty of the crimes charged?”
He pointed to inconsistencies among witness statements, questioned the search conducted at the defendant’s home, and noted that some evidence was never analyzed by forensic authorities. He also referenced testimony alleging investigative pressure.
“There is one truth we all agree on: a young woman lost her life, a family was destroyed,” the defense attorney said, urging a not‑guilty verdict. “Nothing that happens in this courtroom will change that reality. But precisely because that loss is so great, justice demands that your decision be equally great -- a decision based on the evidence, not on pain.”
Over the course of the trial, the parties presented 61 witnesses -- 21 testified in court and the rest were stipulated -- and the judge admitted roughly 200 pieces of evidence, including photographs, documents, expert analyses, medical records, investigative reports, and other physical items.
Before deliberations began, Judge Luis S. Barreto Altieri reminded jurors that they could only consider evidence admitted at trial and that any verdict must be unanimous.
“For a verdict to be valid, it must be unanimous,” he instructed. “All must agree to declare the defendant guilty or not guilty.”
Jurors were sequestered throughout deliberations, without access to cell phones, social media or news -- an extraordinary measure used only rarely in Puerto Rico to safeguard impartiality.
Sentencing was scheduled for Sept. 10 at 10 a.m. Cabrera Rivera faces up to 99 years in jail.
Defense attorney Mayra López Mulero announced at the conclusion of the trial that she will appeal the verdict against Cabrera Rivera and reiterated her conviction that the defendant is innocent, adding that “we clearly have the appropriate remedies to ensure that the ruling and the outcome are ultimately adjusted to the evidence.”
When asked if she would appeal the decision, the attorney responded that the defense would act in due course and maintained that it would exhaust all available resources.
“We’re taking it one step at a time,” she said. “We’re going to take this to the Supreme Court, if necessary.”
López Mulero also indicated that Cabrera Rivera had been prepared for any of the possible outcomes of the legal process.
The island Justice Department issued a statement following the verdict.
“Today, justice was served for Gabriela Nicole Pratts Rosario and her family,” Justice Secretary Lourdes Gómez Torres said in the statement. “The guilty verdict issued by the jury confirms Elvia Cabrera Rivera’s criminal responsibility for her essential role in the murder. Without the surrender of the murder weapon, Gabriela would be alive today.”
“To Gabriela Nicole’s mother, her family, and all who loved her, we reiterate our deepest condolences,” the statement continued. “We are aware that no judicial decision can alleviate the immense pain caused by the loss of Gabriela Nicole or fill the void left by her absence. We hope, however, that this verdict provides them with the certainty that their voices were heard and that justice prevailed. This outcome also reflects the commitment, preparation, and dedication of the prosecutors, attorneys general, agents, victim and witness assistance specialists, who worked tirelessly to present this case to the jury. To all the officials and witnesses, I express my deepest gratitude for remaining steadfast in the truth during such a complex and high-profile process.”
The justice secretary added that the verdict “also sends a powerful message to those who, without knowing all the evidence presented, made premature judgments or questioned the work of the Public Prosecutor’s Office.”
“This case demonstrates that judicial processes must be evaluated based on the evidence presented in court and the applicable law, not on speculation or incomplete narratives,” Gómez Torres said.
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