Texas Grandma Gunned Down—Teen KILLER Nabbed on Bus Bound for Mexico!
A Texas teen who gunned down a grandmother faces life in prison after a failed escape to Mexico. 🌐 #News #HoustonTX #Texas #Crime
HOUSTON, TX – A brutal crime shattered a quiet morning in Houston, Texas when a 62-year-old grandmother was picked at random and gunned down steps from her gym. The killer, a teenager with a bus ticket in his pocket and dreams of disappearing south of the border, now faces a lifetime behind bars. This heartless crime left a family grieving and a community stunned. The heartless killer, Ricardo Rivas, officially received his life sentence this week—bringing closure to a haunting chapter.
Fatal Morning at the Gym
On June 17, 2021, Elsa Mikeska, 62, arrived at her gym on Fuqua Street around 4:50 a.m. She stepped out of her car, unaware that danger lurked nearby.
A group of five teens, including 16-year-old Ricardo Rivas, rolled up in an SUV. Two of them jumped out and approached her. As they shouted, Mikeska bolted toward the gym entrance.
A single gunshot rang out, striking her. She fell near the door and died on the spot. The attackers sped off in their vehicle, vanishing into the early morning darkness.
A Killer’s Escape Plan Foiled
Rivas didn’t stay silent for long.
Days after the murder, he bragged about his actions online, even posting a photo of a Greyhound bus ticket to Dallas—his first stop on a route to Mexico, where he planned to hide out.
Houston police, armed with surveillance footage of the shooting, tracked him down swiftly. Officers nabbed him at a local bus station before he could board and slip away. His getaway scheme crumbled as handcuffs clicked shut.
The Crime Spree Begins
Mikeska’s killing wasn’t Rivas’s first move that day.
About an hour earlier, he and the same group of teens had targeted another woman, attempting to steal her car. That plan fell apart when the vehicle wouldn’t start, forcing them to abandon it and move on.
Their next encounter—with Mikeska—proved deadly.
Justice and Aftermath
Now 20, Rivas pleaded guilty to murder on Friday, securing a life sentence with a chance for parole after 30 years. Three other teens involved in the crime have also been arrested and sentenced. The fifth member of the group met a grim end, killed in a drive-by shooting last year.
Meanwhile, Mikeska’s family faced more pain: her husband passed away roughly a year after her death, a loss relatives link to his unbearable grief.
A Life Remembered
Elsa Mikeska left behind a legacy as a devoted mother, wife, grandmother, and friend. Loved ones poured out their sorrow, recalling her warmth and the gaping void her death created. A fundraising page set up in her memory echoed the family’s anguish, painting a portrait of a woman cherished by many.
Honoring the Affected
The loss of Elsa Mikeska and the subsequent passing of her husband weigh heavily on their family and friends, a wound felt deeply in Houston.
In this time of reflection, many turn to faith for comfort, holding fast to Psalm 34:18, where it says the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those crushed in spirit.
Their memory endures, carried by a community united in love and prayer.
RELATED TOPICS: Crime | Mexico | Texas
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