“Dear Parole Board: Don’t Release My Daughter’s Killer”

"Dear Parole Board: Don't Release My Daughter's Killer"

This is the title of an article on the CBS7's website. It's one of the only things I could find online when I looked up the name Angela Frescaz. If you don't recognize her name her mom, Lydia, would be more than happy to tell you about her beautiful, smart, loving daughter.

Angela was only 20 years old when she was brutally murdered by a man who had once promised to love and protect her for the rest of their lives. She was 5 1/2 months pregnant with a baby girl she planned on naming Megan. She was a beautiful girl, with dark curly locks that hit just at her shoulders, deep dark round eyes and an unforgettably bright smile. She was the yearbook editor of her high school her senior year. She was on the swim team. She has a sweet look to her. Like someone who saw good in everyone, even, unfortunately, when there was none.

Angela married Gilbert Rivera Jr. when she was 19. Gilbert was 26 and had been married before. Information the family was not aware of until later on. After they were married he isolated her from her friends and family and the cycle of domestic abuse began and would continue until it ended in the parking lot of a Furr's. The signs of how dangerous the relationship that Angela was in are all very familiar to us now but no one could've known what was going to happen. Angela tried to leave several times before that fatal night. She had been through an assault that landed her in the hospital where her dad punched the man responsible, her husband, in the face and they were both arrested. She had been through stalking, cheating, manipulation, control...she was terrorized and intimidated.

She finally left, a decision that many in her situation are too afraid to make and that many others, like Angela, don't survive. She took out a restraining order against Rivera and moved back in with her mom.

On February 25th, 1992 Angela calls her mom before she leaves from her job at the mall to head home. She tells her mother that Gilbert had broken the window out of a vehicle she was just able to get out of the shop from the damage he had done by putting something in her gas tank. She says she's going to take a different route home just to be safe.  But when 10 or so minutes go by Angela's mother knows that her daughter should be home by now, she knows that something is wrong.  She would go on to find out that Gilbert waited for Angela to leave her job, when he saw that she was alone he followed her daughter to a Furr's parking lot where he took a 13-gauge shotgun and shot her three times at close range.

He shot her in the leg, which had to be immediately amputated when she arrived at the hospital, in the side of her pregnant belly, her hand and the side of her head. It's clear that his intent was to kill Angela and their unborn child.

She fought for her life in the Intensive Care Unit for 10 days. A kind hearted nurse allowed her 11 month old son in to be with his momma for just a few moments for the very last time. Angela and Megan, the baby she was 5 1/2 months pregnant with, died on March 6th, 1992. Angela's family would later find out that the man their precious loved one married was a habitual criminal as well as the domestic abuser they knew he was. He was suspected in arson fires, peeping tom cases, and stole from the places he was employed. Gilbert Rivera Jr. was found guilty of the murder of his estranged wife and unborn daughter and sentenced to life in prison. However, because of the laws that were in place in 1992, a life sentence meant he would become eligible for a parole review in 15 years.

Gilbert became eligible for parole for the first time on February 24th, 2007. Angela's family have been working to keep him in prison where he belongs ever since.

Given the particularly heinous nature of his crime, his previous criminal history and the probability of him re-offending, I'd say that's the best thing for everyone. So when I heard that I could help keep this man where he belongs, I was and am, all on board.

Angela's mom Lydia, needs our help. Gilbert Rivera Jr. is a few short months away from yet another parole review. She needs us to help her keep her daughters killer in prison. Angela's family is asking you to join them in protesting the parole of the violent, callous murderer who took their Angela from them. They are asking that you send a letter of parole protest. You can find an example of the letter in this Facebook post and some guidelines for parole protest letters in the above link.

You can email a letter directly to Victim Services Division (subject line-Protest Letter).

You can write the letter in an email to angelasletters92@gmail.com and I will either mail it for you myself or forward it on to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Victim Services Division.  If you want to write and mail a letter on your own you can do so.  Mark on the outside of the letter in red "PROTEST LETTER" along with the address listed below. Make sure you include the following information for Gilbert:

Gilbert Rivera Jr.

TDCJ-ID# 00657089 

SID# 03005861

This is the address that the letter needs to be mailed to:

Texas Department of Criminal Justice Victim Services Division

8712 Shoal Creek Blvd. Suite 265

Austin, Texas 78757-6899

VSD/LL

If you chose to send a letter on your own the family asks that you send the original and either mail a copy to them at

Family of Angela Frescaz

1405 West County Road 143

Midland, Texas 79706

or email one to angelasletters92@gmail.com.

I know that in today's world the steps it takes to send one of these letters, even it it were just one step, is still one too many steps for busy people today.  I also know that people still care and want to help.  It speaks volumes to the parole board for someone to go as far as to hand write a letter, buy a stamp and send it the old fashioned way in the mail. When an offender comes up for parole and the parole board pulls out a file with stacks of letters with envelopes with "PAROLE PROTEST" written in big red letters across it, they take notice.  I want the parole board to need a box to keep all the protest letters that we send in on behalf of Angela's family.  If you need to use the example letter as a guide please do so.  You can use any of the links to view an example letter. I've also included a template below of an example letter that you can copy and paste straight from this post into an email, making sure to include however short or long, your request that Angela's murderer not be granted parole in your own words.

(all letters are confidential)

/    /  (date)

TDCJ Victim Services Division

8712 Shoal Creek Blvd., Ste. 265

Austin, TX 78757

Re: PAROLE PROTEST

INMATE: Gilbert Rivera Jr., TDCJ-ID# 00657089

Dear Board Members:

Please DO NOT grant parole for Gilbert Rivera Jr. TDCJ-ID# 00657089.

Gilbert Rivera Jr. murdered Angela Frescaz and her unborn child in the parking lot of a grocery store. She was only 20 years old and 5 ½ months pregnant with a baby girl she planned on naming Megan. She had an 11-month old son at the time, Bradley.

Angela fought for her life for 10 days in the intensive care unit. She never got to meet her daughter and never got to hold her son again.  Her son was never given the opportunity to know his mother’s love, feel her touch or hear her voice ever again.

To lessen the emotional trauma for the victim’s family and because of the ultimate violent nature of Rivera Jr.’s crime, I am asking the Board to please deny his parole and defer future parole reviews for the maximum amount of time allotted for the state of Texas for his particular case.

Angela’s family have been grieving the loss of a beautiful, bright, loving, amazing young woman since 1992.  They will never get over the pain of losing her.

Please confirm that this letter is added to the above mention file.  Thank you for your consideration.

Respectfully,

Name

Address