Bradenton Man Found Guilty of Murdering Father-in-Law

Bradenton, FL – A Bradenton man has been convicted of fatally shooting his father-in-law in a chilling incident that occurred in January 2022, according to a release from the 12th Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office.

Ruben Pioquinto now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years and could serve a life term after being found guilty of murder and aggravated assault with a firearm. Sentencing will be scheduled in the coming weeks.

The crime took place while Pioquinto was driving with his father-in-law, Anderson Guerra Rivera, in the passenger seat and his 15-year-old brother-in-law in the back seat. While stopped at a red light, Pioquinto pointed a handgun at Rivera’s head, reportedly asking if he feared death. When Rivera said "No," Pioquinto pressed the gun to Rivera's head and shot him.

After the shooting, Pioquinto drove to a remote area in Palmetto, where he forced the teenage boy to remove Rivera’s body from the car. Authorities later discovered the body dumped along 77th Street East.

The release stated Pioquinto threatened the teenager with the gun for over an hour, warning him not to reveal what had happened, under threat of harm to his family. After returning to their Bradenton home, Pioquinto fell asleep on the couch. Concerned family members contacted law enforcement, prompting deputies from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office to respond.

Authorities secured the family and arrested Pioquinto after he surrendered peacefully. Investigators relied on witness statements and corroborating evidence to build their case.

Following his trial this week at the Manatee County Courthouse, Pioquinto was found guilty. The verdict, secured through the efforts of the state attorney’s office and local law enforcement, closes a case marked by devastating violence and trauma for the victim’s family.