Rey Rivera's Mysterious Death Baffles Public Since 2006

Thirty-two-year-old Rey Rivera and his new wife, Allison, had only been in Baltimore a few years when Rivera vanished on May 16, 2006. Allison, working in Virginia, could not reach Rey by phone that night; she assumed he was drinking. On May 17 morning, Allison expected a call from her husband, but her phone remained silent. That afternoon,Allison knew.something was wrong. She filed a missing person report at 3 p.m.

In herHer 2018 bookAn unexplained death.Mikita Brottman includes the details of the 'Missing Person' poster plastered all over Baltimore after Rey's disappearance:

Last Seen: Tuesday, May 16, six p.m. Rey left his home (Northwood neighborhood) to run errands in his wife’s car. He wore a pullover jacket, shorts, and flip-flops. He carried $20 cash; he had no bank cards.

Rey's family, friends, and wife searched the city for signs of their loved one over the next few days. Their first big clue appeared on May 23.

By May 23, Rivera's family and friends searched Baltimore widely, finding nothing. Allison's parents decided to retrace some steps on May 23 andAuthorities inspected parking lots.They checked lots near Rivera's workplace in the Mount Vernon neighborhood. Their effort paid off; they found Allison's black Mitsubishi Montero SUV undamaged in a lot on St. Paul Street.

Police took the vehicle and treated it as evidence, but the Montero offered no clues about Rivera's location. TheA lot attendant found the car.The attendant who worked on May 16 could not recall seeing the Montero enter the lot. However, he did see the car on the morning of May 17 and ticketed it for staying overnight.

The day after Allison's car was found, three of Rivera's friends searched for leads inThe parking lot held a parking lot.They found something odd next to the Belvedere Hotel: a chair hanging off the roof edge. They decided to inspect it closer.

From the Belvedere's top, Rivera's friends looked down at the roof of a two-story annex part of the hotel. They saw a hole in the annex roof.Mikita Brottman describes this holeThe hole measured bigger than a Frisbee but smaller than a hula hoop.

Rivera's friends knew they needed to getinside the annex.at the Belvedere, and they worried about what they wouldfind inside.The annex used to hold the hotel's indoor pool, but the 1990s converted it to offices. The specific room matching the strange hole was empty then.

The three men entered the meeting room.They entered the meeting room., empty except for one shocking discovery: Rivera's body. He had been missing for over a week by this time.

How did Rivera end up in an empty conference room at the Belvedere? What events caused Rivera to fall with such force that he broke through the annex roof?

WhileUnsolved Mysteriesclaims no one at the Belvedere heard a sound when Rivera's body fell; Mikita Brottmanchallenges this claiminAn unexplained death occurred.Brottman lived at the Belvedere then. This fact made her interested in Rivera's case. She heard a crash on May 16, the night Rey died. She wrote it in her journal. At that time, Brottman thought it was city noise.

Forensic analysts found Rivera jumped before he dropped 14 floors.Rivera dropped 14 floors.Rivera fell from the Belvedere's main building to the annex roof. Whether Rey jumped or someone forced him remains the mystery.

Rivera's friends found a hole in the annex roof. Around the hole, they saw Rivera's cell phone, eyeglasses, and flip-flops. The cell phone and eyeglasses remained unbroken, suggesting the scene was staged. Drag marks were on one flip-flop, and it was unlocked.The strap was broken.The other strap was broken.

How did 6'5" Rivera manage this?The 6'5" Rivera.How did he fall from that height with his things scattered around the hole?

One thing Rivera carried when he left his house on May 16 was a money clip.He carried the money clip everywhere. Police found all his personal items except the clip after his body was found. The money clip is still missing today.Authorities found all of Rivera's personal items, minus the clip. Rivera's money clip has not been found.

Rivera's wife Allison was bothered by something in her husband's pocket: a small penny.She found a small penny.The penny had a heart cut out of it. Allison bought the penny earlier as a lucky charm for Rivera. He kept it in a bowl on his dresser. No one knows why Rivera took the penny with him on May 16.

Mikita Brottman claims Rivera and his wife visited the Belvedere before he died.An unexplained death.Mikita Brottman reveals information.Brottman reveals intel.Brottman revealed information never discussed in the Unsolved Mysteries episode.Unsolved Mysteries episode.Both Rey and Allison Rivera went to the Belvedere Hotel before Rey died. Brottman includes an unsourced claim: "the victim had frequented the Belvedere on several occasions in the past."

The Belvedere had a bar, the Owl Bar, and a nightclub on the 13th Floor at that time. Allison says she went to the Owl Bar with her husband twice. She thinks Rivera might have returned to the Owl Bar with work friends, but she does not believe he went to the 13th Floor.

Security at the Belvedere Hotel in 2006 was poor. Authorities were not shocked to find the roof camera footage from the night of Rivera's death was unwatchable.The roof camera footage was unwatchable due to a technical problem.Mikita Brottman says this was a common hotel problem.

Anyone could access the roof, as the police report about Rivera detailed. The Belvedere staff elevator was often unlocked then.The hotel's weak security complicated the investigation, raising unanswered questions.Fire doors lacked working alarms. Rivera might have reached the top of the Belvedere unseen. This applies to anyone else with Rivera that night.

Theories about Rivera's death multiply. Forensic evidence led Baltimore detectives to believe something.Detectives leaned toward the idea that Rivera killed himself. Those close to him insisted he had no mental illness or reason for suicide. He married Allison six months earlier and planned to move to Los Angeles, where Rivera wanted to be a screenwriter.Rivera took his own life. Those close to him insisted he had no mental illness or reason for the act. He married Allison six months before, and they planned to move to Los Angeles, where Rivera aimed to become a screenwriter.

"I kept saying there's something bigger. There's something going on. I know that he didn't kill himself," Allison says at the start of the "Unsolved Mysteries" episode."Unsolved Mysteries""Who says, 'Oh? It's 6:30, time to jump off a big roof?'"

Investigators started looking into Rivera's tense relationship with his long-time friend and employer, Porter Stansberry. Rivera wrote stock newsletters for Stansberry's financial company, Stansberry & Associates, which was part of a fraud investigation.Some people thought Rivera was dropped from a helicopter.Investigators looked in Baltimore the weekend after Rivera met his end.

Investigators started looking into Rivera's tense bond with his long-term friend and employer, Porter Stansberry. Rivera wrote stock newsletters for Stansberry's financial company, Stansberry & Associates, which was part of a fraud investigation.

Allison claimed these burglaries connect to her husband's death, even though no clues were found at Rivera's home.The Unsolved Mysteries episode examines Porter Stansberry's possible link to Rivera's death. Stansberry refused to help the investigation when asked to participate. After Rivera disappeared, Stansberry stopped company employees from discussing the case with the media or police.Author Mikita Brottman and detective Michael Baier both debunked this theory with research. Brottman claims residents at the Belvedere heard a helicopter on May 16. Baier states a helicopter needed to hover very low above the annex for Rivera to land the way he did.

During Rivera's "Unsolved Mysteries" episode,"Unsolved Mysteries"Allison walked the home perimeter she shared with her husband in 2006. Allison showed the two spots where the home alarm system tripped in the weeks before her husband vanished. Both attempted break-ins happened late at night.late at night.

No clues surfaced from the Rivera home, yet Allison still claims these failed burglaries link to her husband's death.

The"Unsolved Mysteries"The episode examines Porter Stansberry's possible link to Rivera's death. Stansberry refused to join the episode and reportedly would not help the investigation. After Rivera disappeared, Stansberry stopped company employees from discussing the case with the media or police.

This silence raised questions about Stansberry's motives, which his shady client dealings made more suspicious. In 2007, a year after Rivera's death, Stansberry wasfound guilty of security fraudand fined $1.5 million.

After the"Unsolved Mysteries"a spokesperson for Stansberry & Associates refuted the gag order.The claim. "There was no gag order or direction given to employees to not speak to the press, law enforcement, or any other party," said David Churbuck."There was no gag order or direction given to employees to not speak to the press, law enforcement, or any other party," said David Churbuck.David ChurbuckPorter Stansberry, Rivera's business associate and friend, barred his company employees from talking about the case.

Rivera was not alone in his house the day he disappeared. Allison was away for work on May 16.One of her colleagues was staying in the Rivera home temporarily.Mikita Brottman details testimony from Allison's work friend Claudia about Rivera staying in the Rivera home temporarily.An Unexplained Death..

Around 4 pm that day, Claudia heard Rivera's cell phone ring from his office. After hearing him curse, Claudia saw him quickly leave the back door, acting like he was late for something. A few minutes later, Rivera returned, but he left the house as fast as he came—almost like he forgot something. He left the light on in his office and kept his computer running.

Both Allison and a police spokeswoman told the story.The Baltimore Sun.In 2020, the call came from the switchboard of Agora Publishing, a Baltimore company with several subsidiaries. Stansberry & Associates is one of Agora's subsidiaries. Calls from all Agora affiliates went through the main switchboard.Rivera supposedly received the phone call from the main switchboard.Rivera supposedly got the phone call from that switchboard.

"I stand before you a man who understands the purpose and value of our secrets," reads the typewritten note.This typewritten note was found taped to Rivera's computer.A long, puzzling dictum found taped to the back of Rivera's computer added more confusion to the case.

The letter references something in a tiny font.It mentions a "well-played" game.The note mentions celebrities like Stanley Kubrick and Christopher Reeve. It also alludes to Freemasons, an organization Rivera recently became curious about. The letter also references the 1997 David Fincher movie.The film "The Game" stars Michael Douglas, whose character falls through a hotel.The film stars Michael Douglas; his character falls through a hotel. This led internet sleuths to guess if the note predicted Rivera's death.

Rivera's widow Allison rejects all links between her husband's death and "The Game"..FBI agents reviewed the note.They found the note did not signal an intentional act of self-harm..

After the "Unsolved Mysteries" episode aired in 2020, show creator Terry Dunn Meurer discussed a new lead.Unsolved MysteriesThe episode aired in 2020. Show creator Terry Dunn Meurer discussed a new lead.When Allison went to the police station for Rey’s computer, the detective mentioned someone called a few times asking to get the computers and showing strong interest in their status. Allison felt very troubled. The identity of the person who called about the computers remains unknown.The identity of the person who called about the computers remains unknown.

When Allison went to the police station for Rey’s computer, the detective mentioned someone called several times asking for the computers and showing strong interest in their status. Allison felt very troubled.

Another piece of information left out of "Unsolved Mysteries" is that Rivera called the Baltimore branch of the Freemasons.Rivera called the Baltimore branch of the Freemasons the day he disappeared, hoping to join their group. He also bought the book "Freemasons for Dummies" that same day.Brad Hoppmann, Rivera's childhood friend who worked at Stansberry & Associates when Rivera vanished, confirmed this interest in the Freemasons. Hoppmann told The Baltimore Sun.

Another piece of information was left out ofUnsolved MysteriesRivera called the Baltimore branch of theFreemasonsRivera called the Freemasons the day he disappeared, hoping to join their group. He also bought the bookFreemasons for Dummieson that same day.

Brad Hoppmann, Rivera's childhood friend who worked at Stansberry & Associates when Rivera vanished,confirmed this interest.Hoppmann toldThe Baltimore SunBefore Rivera died, he asked Hoppmann what he knew about Freemasonry.

Stansberry backed this up in an interview withThe Baltimore Sun.Stansberry claims Rivera also asked him about Freemasons, even asking if Stansberry held a Freemason leadership role. Stansberry treated this as a joke then.

Porter Stansberry spoke up after theUnsolved Mysteriesepisode to challenge its story on how he acted after Rivera vanished. AninterviewwithThe Baltimore Sun, Stansberry claimed he hired a private investigator and offered money during the search for Rivera. He also pushed back against Allison Rivera and retired Baltimore detective Michael Baier.

"It’s a lie," Stansberry said. "It’s not an opinion. It’s a lie." Stansberry stated a gag order never applied to Stansberry & Associates staff. Instead, all Rivera questions went to a spokesperson. Stansberry also said he spoke with a detective named Marvin Sydnor on June 23, 2006.

The show shows Rivera worked for Stansberry & Associates when he disappeared. Stansberry claims Rivera quit six months earlier. Rivera worked freelance for another Agora Publishing subsidiary.

Stansberry also insisted no one at his company called Rivera the day he went missing. Stansberry revealed, "Every person in our company who worked with Rey was on the Eastern Shore when that call happened, having a corporate retreat in St. Michael’s."

Unsolved Mysteriesexplains Rivera's death was called "undetermined." Allison explains the medical examiner did not think Rivera's broken shins meant an intentional fall, which led to the ruling. However, Mikita Brottmanchallenged this rulinginAn Unexplained Death. Instead, Brottman argues Rivera's case is actually called "homicide."

This claim raises more questions about what happened before Rivera fell from the Belvedere Hotel roof. Regardless, the injuries showa grim pictureof his final moments. The autopsy report states Rivera had "Multiple ribs fractured, punctured lungs, lacerations [and] Damage to his skull," plus two breaks in his right leg.