South Florida UFC fighter faces attempted murder charges in stabbings of sisters

BOYNTON BEACH — An Ultimate Fighting Championship mixed martial arts fighter from South Florida known as “The Beast” is jailed on attempted murder charges after allegedly stabbing his two sisters in Boynton Beach, authorities say.

Police arrested Irwin Rivera on Thursday morning in Delray Beach. He faces two charges of premeditated murder for the stabbings, according to jail records.

Multiple neighbors and one of the victims called 911 to report the stabbing at Rivera’s home at 515 S.E. 20th Ave., Apartment #1A in Boynton Beach, according to the arrest report. When officers arrived, they found a 22-year-old woman lying next to the road, covered in blood, the report says.

Officers found multiple stab wounds on her back, head and arm, the report says. She told officers her brother had stabbed her, and that her sister was still in the house, the report says.

She was taken to Delray Medical Center with two collapsed lungs. Her identity was not released and details about her condition were not available.

Both victims survived the stabbings, according to Boynton Beach Police. One victim is stable, and the other is in critical condition.

Officers found a 33-yearold woman in the house in a similar state, covered in blood, the report says. She had multiple wounds on her back, face, arms and hands.

She was also taken to Delray Medical Center.

She told police she and her sister had come to visit their brother at his home in Boynton and had spent the night in his spare bedroom. They woke up to him repeatedly stabbing them with a knife, the report says.

She tried to fight him off as he kept stabbing her while her younger sister ran from the room, she told police. She was eventually able to push him out of the room and call police, the report says.

Neighbors told officers they woke up to a loud banging sound at their front door and found a woman covered in blood, the report says. She begged them for help, crying “He’s trying to kill me! Please help my sister,” the report says.

When they opened the door and began calling police, they saw Rivera walk by, also covered in blood, the report says.

“Shut the door,” he shouted at them, according to the report. And then, “everything is okay,” the report says.

That’s when he noticed they were on the phone, the report says. He took off running east toward Federal Highway, they told police.

Delray Beach Police located him about 7 a.m., the report says. When they made contact with him, Rivera spontaneously uttered “I killed my sisters,” according to the report.

Officers took him to the Boynton Beach Police Department, where he was photographed and changed out of his bloody clothing, the report says. He gave police a statement and admitted to stabbing both of his sisters, according to the report.

Rivera, 31, told police that he went into his sisters’ bedroom while they were sleeping and started stabbing them with a brass knuckle knife, the report says. He told police he believed that he killed both of his sisters, and did so because a “higher power” told him it was “his purpose,” the report says.

UFC officials put out a statement acknowledging the fighter’s arrest.

“UFC is aware of the recent incident involving Irwin Rivera and subsequently received information from his management that he has been exhibiting behavior consistent with mental health issues,” the statement says, and goes on to say that Rivera’s career is on hold pending an investigation.

“The allegations are extremely troubling and the organization is currently gathering additional information. The investigation is ongoing and any potential next steps including disciplinary action or medical attention will be determined upon the conclusion. Furthermore, UFC has informed Rivera’s management that he will not be offered a bout at this time.”

Brooke Baitinger can be reached at: bbaitinger@sunsentinel.com, 954-422-0857 or Twitter: @ bybbaitinger

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