He shot his employer after being fired. Guilty murder verdict in killing at Tulare dairy

A 29-year-old Visalia man has been found guilty of murdering his former employer in 2019.

On Tuesday, a jury found Jorge Rivera guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Tulare dairyman Anthony “Tony” Dragt. The verdict came with special allegations of personal use of a firearm and personal discharge of a firearm, felony possession of an assault weapon, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to a release from the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office on Wednesday.

Rivera had been fired from his job at Dragt’s dairy when he went looking for the victim on Sept. 3, 2019. According to video evidence and witness accounts, he tried several locations, including Dragt’s home.

When he finally found Dragt, he “fired multiple gunshot rounds and then stood over the victim,” Tulare Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said at a news conference at the time.

A car similar to Rivera’s was seen on surveillance leaving the area after the crime and he was located and arrested several hours later driving the same car. Several firearms were found in the car, including an AR-15 and the murder weapon, according to the DA’s office.

Rivera is scheduled for sentencing March 29 and faces life in prison.

This story was originally published February 15, 2023 at 10:41 AM.