Guy Rivera to be sentenced in court Monday

Man convicted of killing NYPD detective to be sentenced today

The man convicted in the fatal shooting of NYPD Detective Jonathan Diller will be sentenced in court on Monday.

QUEENS - Sentencing day has arrived for Guy Rivera, the man convicted in the shooting that claimed the life of NYPD Detective Jonathan Diller more than two years ago.

What we know:

Rivera is scheduled to be sentenced at 9:30 a.m. Monday at the Queens County Criminal Court in Kew Gardens. He faces 90 years to life in prison.

A massive showing of support is expected from the NYPD community, with large crowds of officers and Police Benevolent Association President Pat Hendry slated to attend in honor of their fallen brother in blue.

Verdict outrage

Dig deeper:

Earlier this month, a jury found Rivera guilty on several major counts, including aggravated manslaughter, attempted murder of a police officer and criminal possession of a weapon. However, he was acquitted of the top charge of first-degree murder.

The acquittal sparked immediate outrage among the NYPD community. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch expressed deep disappointment that Rivera was not convicted on the highest charge. Throughout the trial, Diller’s fellow officers packed the courtroom to support his grieving family.

Suspect pleads not guilty in killing NYPD Det. Diller

An emotional court hearing took place in Queens Tuesday morning as the man charged with killing NYPD detective Jonathan Diller faced a judge. The courtroom was packed with police officers as well as Diller's family. FOX 5 NY's Lisa Evers was there and had their reaction.

PBA President Pat Hendry voiced the ongoing frustration of the department and Diller's loved ones following the verdict earlier this month:

"I left the family who’s had to deal with this nightmare for the last two years," Hendry said. "They’re still devastated. These police officers know behind me that this was murder one on a New York City police officer. No doubt about it."

Despite the acquittal on the top charge, Rivera is expected to spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Deadly traffic stop

The backstory:

The deadly encounter occurred in March 2024 during a traffic stop in Far Rockaway, Queens.

According to prosecutors, Rivera intentionally pulled a gun from his pocket and fired at the 31-year-old officer as he approached the vehicle. Rivera's defense team attempted to argue that the gun fired accidentally during a struggle with another officer, a claim the jury ultimately rejected in the manslaughter conviction.

The driver of the vehicle involved in the traffic stop, Lindsay Jones, is also facing legal consequences. Jones faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted on related weapons possession charges.

Slain NYPD Officer Diller promoted to Detective

Fallen NYPD officer Jonathan Diller was posthumously promoted to Detective First Grade Saturday, an honor announced by Police Commissioner Edward Caban during his funeral Saturday to the cheers of loved ones and fellow brothers and sisters in blue

Honoring the fallen

Why you should care:

Detective Diller’s tragic death left a profound impact on New York City. During his funeral in Massapequa Park on Long Island, Diller was posthumously promoted to Detective First Grade.

He leaves behind his widow, Stephanie, and their young son.

The Source: Information from this article was sourced from reporting by FOX 5 NY.

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