California Man Arrested, Charged in Mexico Murders

Bryant Rivera of California is suspected of killing several female sex workers in Mexico. Here's why one Mexican Attorney General compared Rivera to the infamous serial killer Ted Bundy.

Charged With Femicide

Rivera, now 31, was arrested in July 2023 on a charge of femicide, the killing of women because of their gender, NBC News reports. He stands officially accused of killing a sex worker in Tijuana, but Mexican authorities also suspect Rivera of murdering at least three other women. Rivera allegedly beat and strangled Ángela Acosta Flores in January 2022, in a room at Hotel Cascadas, above the Hong Kong Gentlemen's Club in Tijuana's red-light district, known as Zona Norte.

The Flores Murder

Flores, 20, had been working as a stripper and part-time prostitute at the Hong Kong Gentlemen's Club for about five months. On Jan. 24, Flores texted her mother that she was going with a client to a hotel room for 30 minutes, but as time passed, her mother became increasingly worried, according to The Downey Patriot.

A few hours later, Flores' mother and boyfriend went to the club to look for her, but when they asked for more information, they were told by a manager there that Flores was "probably still busy," as reported by VICE. It wasn't until the next day, Jan. 25, that hotel personnel finally agreed to check room 404 and found Flores dead.

Escape Across the Border

Baja California prosecutors said Rivera was seen leaving the room before midnight on the night of the murder and didn't return, NBC News reports. Thirteen minutes later, he crossed the U.S.-Mexico border on foot at the San Ysidro port of entry and disappeared.

It wasn't until July 2023 that federal authorities finally arrested Rivera in Downey, California. According to court documents and U.S. officials, the arrest came at the request of Mexican authorities, NBC News reports. He was taken into federal custody to await an extradition hearing.

A judge heard arguments Oct. 1, 2024, at an extradition hearing, but made no ruling, according to The Downey Patriot. Rivera was previously ordered jailed without bond while extradition proceedings take place.

Other Murders

Few details about the other cases have been made available. According to NBC News, Baja California authorities said the deaths happened between September 2021 and February 2022. It's unclear if Flores was the last victim.

Back in 2022, before authorities had officially zeroed in on Bryant Riviera, Baja California Attorney General Iván Carpio Sánchez described the suspected killer as displaying "violent and psychopathic behavior," drawing comparisons to Ted Bundy, as reported by The Downey Patriot.

Though Mexican authorities have called Rivera a serial killer and implicated him in the other murders, he has only officially been charged with Flores' murder.

Rivera's arrest has drawn attention to a disturbing pattern of violence against women in Mexico. With his arrest in the U.S., authorities are working to bring him to Mexico to face justice for these brutal crimes.

References: A 'Ted Bundy Copycat' Accused of Killing Mexican Women Was Just Arrested | California Man Arrested in Connection with Serial Killings of Mexican Sex Workers | Extradition Hearing Due for Downey Man Suspected in Tijuana Murders