AUSTIN, Texas — A man has been arrested for allegedly shooting his stepdaughter's boyfriend in southeast Austin on Oct. 24.
Joshua Trezaratti, 46, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Joshua Rivera.
An affidavit obtained by KVUE stated that Austin Police Department (APD) officers were called to Trezaratti's home on Mickelson Drive just after 5 p.m. on Oct. 24. Trezaratti's wife informed police that her husband had shot Rivera after Rivera touched her inappropriately.
When officers arrived on the scene, they located Rivera with gunshot wounds on the floor inside the Trezaratti home. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The affidavit states that Trezaratti told police that Rivera was the boyfriend of his stepdaughter and that Rivera had made several sexual advances toward his wife, as well as threatened him and his wife on different occasions.
Trezaratti said that he and his wife were afraid of what Rivera might do but "despite this supposed fear," the affidavit states that Trezaratti told police Rivera invited himself over to their house on Oct. 24 and Trezaratti's wife said Rivera could come. Trezaratti told his wife to lead Rivera to believe she would be in the house alone, even though that was untrue.
When Rivera arrived, he and Trezaratti's wife spent a few minutes on the front porch, where Rivera allegedly touched Trezaratti's wife inappropriately and made sexual advances toward her – which, the affidavit states, Trezaratti told police he was able to monitor through a camera mounted outside the house.
According to the affidavit, Rivera then asked Trezaratti's wife for a beer and she and Rivera went inside. At this point, Trezaratti told police that he was in the first floor office near the front door and had his shotgun with him.
Once inside the home, the affidavit states that Rivera continued to make sexual advances toward Trezaratti's wife, which she rebuffed. Rivera allegedly expressed nervousness that he didn't feel welcome, so Trezaratti's wife encouraged him to go outside and smoke PCP to calm down.
The affidavit states that as Rivera walked to the front door, Trezaratti came out of the office with his shotgun in hand and told Rivera to sit down. Rivera charged at Trezaratti, and they wrestled for control of the shotgun. Trezaratti then pulled out his Glock handgun, which was holstered on his hip, and pointed it at Rivera's head, telling him to let go, according to the affidavit.
At this time, Trezaratti told police that Rivera began to unzip a bag he had with him. Trezaratti said that he had previously been informed that Rivera always carried a gun and he didn't know if Rivera had the gun at the time but believed "there can't be anything good in [the bag]." Trezaratti told police he shot Rivera twice his his handgun as Rivera was attempting to open the bag. He said Rivera then "turned around and tried to run," at which point Trezaratti shot him two or three more times in the back. Rivera then laid or fell down and Trezaratti shot him "at least one or two more times," according to the affidavit.
Trezaratti's stepdaughter then called 911, and first responders arrived at the scene shortly after.
The affidavit states that at various points in his interview with police, Trezaratti expressed anger and rage toward Rivera, stating that he wanted to torture him and that he shot Rivera multiple times because he wanted to make sure he was dead. Trezaratti also expressed a belief that the law allowed him to take the actions he did, saying that he was within his rights if he killed Rivera inside his home.
"At no point in the interview did Joshua [Trezaratti] advise seeing Rivera possess or produce a firearm or other deadly weapon, nor did he indicate any threats of violence made by Rivera while at their residence," the affidavit states.
Trezaratti was booked into the Travis County Jail on Oct. 25 on a first-degree murder charge. He is being held on an $800,000 bond.