Bond denied in shooting of repo man

Wilfred Rivera, a Licensed Recovery Agent in Florida since 1999, went to the address of 51 year-old Jesse Elorde Ramirez yesterday to repossess his vehicle — instead, Rivera was murdered.

Traveling in the tow truck with Rivera, was 31 year-old Delbert Charles Power, Jr., of Jacksonville; who was also shot, but, is now in Shands Hospital in Jacksonville — recovering from his injuries. Power is not a licensed recovery agent according to the Division of Licensing.

E-911 operators who received the original call, at about 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, dispatched St. Johns County Sheriff’s deputies to the scene of the shooting. The first deputy arrived within a minute and found Power, on the ground beside the tow truck, located in the median at 1040 SR-16 in Saint Augustine.

Rivera was located moments later in the driveway where the shooting occurred.

The 48 year-old Rivera was pronounced dead at the scene. In addition to his recovery agent license, in 2005, Rivera became licensed as a private investigator and the following year, obtained a private investigative agency license. Rivera Investigations has been licensed since 2006 at 348 West 21st Street in Jacksonville.

According to the incident report, when Rivera and Power arrived at the residence, Ramirez came outside, armed with a handgun, and began firing multiple rounds at the two victims.

After questioning Ramirez and his wife, who placed the E-911 call, Ramirez was taken into custody and charged with one count of first degree murder and one count of attempted first degree murder.

Ramirez is being held in the St. Johns County Detention Facility, without bond, following his first appearance hearing on both charges this morning.

A copy of the E-911 call has been requested, according to Media Relations Officer Kevin Kelshaw. St. Johns County homicide detectives are continuing the investigation.