Home-Invasion Slaying Of Chester County Teen Lands Man Life In Prison

WEST CHESTER, PA - A 29-year-old Reading man will spend life in prison for the 2017 home invasion slaying of a 17-year-old boy who was trying to protect three young children in a North Coventry apartment.

Ricardo Rivera was sentenced by Chester County Judge David F. Bortner on Friday to a mandatory sentence of life in prison for the fatal shooting of David Doyle III of the 700 block of Worth Boulevard.

Rivera was convicted by a jury on April 2022 of killing who was protecting three children when masked men entered the apartment second-floor unit the Ashwood Apartments, where he was residing with his father, David Doyle Jr.

Doyle died of a gunshot wound to the stomach, according to medical authorities.

Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan said in a statement available Sunday night that Doyle was a hero who died protecting the children, ages 9, 8, and 3.

“With Ricardo Rivera now behind bars for the rest of his life, I hope Davey Mike’s family finds some peace,” Ryan said. “This is such a tragic case.”

The victim grew up in New Castle, Del., playing basketball and listening to music.

When he was killed, Doyle was planning on getting his GED and joining the Marines, his family members said after the slaying.

According to court records:

Rivera and co-defendants, Jonathan Malave, 37, of Reading and Anaye Raggazino, 35, of Phoenixville planned to rob the victim’s father for drugs and money.

On Sept. 24, 2017, Raggazino knocked on the door just before 11:30 p.m. and was let in by a woman in the apartment.

Rivera and Mavave, both wearing masks, and Rivera brandishing a pistol, barged in the door.

The victim struggled with the defendant in an attempt to protect the children. During the struggle, the defendant fired two shots, one of which hit the victim in the torso.

Malave was sentenced in October to 17 to 34 years in state prison. Raggazino pleaded guilty to third-degee murder and is awaiting disposition of her case, according to court records.

The case was investigated by Chester County detectives and North Coventry police. Deputy District Attorneys Carlos Barraza and Emily Provencher prosecuted the case.