We have some very disturbing news to report out of Illinois today:
A man named Arnold Rivera Jr. has been arrested in connection with the murder of 14-year-old Kylie Toberman.
Rivera is accused of sexually assaulting the girl before strangling her with a set of jumper cables and hiding her body.
At the time of her death, Kylie had been living with her adoptive mother, Donna Toberman.
Rivera, who lived in an RV parked on the family’s property, was referred to as Kylie’s “step-uncle.”
Insiders tell WFIW radio that Rivera was actually Kylie’s adoptive brother. It seems that the family adopted the “step-uncle” title five years ago when Kylie was adopted, due to the fact that Rivera was nearly 30 years her senior.
Rivera, 43, has now been charged with first-degree murder, aggravated criminal assault, and concealing a homicide death.
Adding to the furor over the crime is the fact that Rivera previously served time for child sexual abuse.
Investigators say they discovered Kylie’s body inside a tote bag stored in Rivera’s RV.
Uproar over the case has been widespread, with Kylie’s biological mother, Megan Zeller, writing on her Facebook page, “I will not shut up or stop till my child gets justice!”
“We have had minimal contact with her with the adoption that had taken place due to extenuating circumstances,” Richards explained.
“We had no information that there was such a dangerous, volatile situation that she was in.”
Leann Deweese, Kylie’s maternal grandmother, called the victim “very beautiful, very energetic, very happy all the time. I have already missed her so much.”
“It broke my heart because she shouldn’t have had to go through that. She was the sweetest person, and she had so much life left to live,” echoed Caitlyn Shellenbarger, a friend of Kylie’s since preschool.
“Kylie was known for her caring heart and the way she made everyone around her feel included,” reads a GoFundMe page dedicated to the beloved teen. “She was a loyal friend, a devoted sister, and someone who could brighten any room simply by being in it.”
Rivera is currently in police custody and had been denied parole. No date has been set for the start of his trial.
Our thoughts go out to Kylie’s loved ones during those incredibly difficult time.
We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.