Angel Echevarria-Rivera, 33, of Harrisburg, has been sentenced to a minimum of three and a half years and a maximum of 10 years in state prison for the stabbing death of Edwin Torres-Martinez, 53. The incident occurred on November 12, 2022, outside Torres-Martinez’s home in Harrisburg’s Hall Manor neighborhood.
According to prosecutors, Echevarria-Rivera and his relative went to fight Torres-Martinez just before 6 p.m. on November 12, 2022. Torres-Martinez stabbed Echevarria-Rivera on his leg, he said. Afterward, Echevarria-Rivera’s relative tackled Torres-Martinez, which is when Echevarria-Rivera believed Torres-Martinez stabbed the relative. That’s when Echevarria-Rivera grabbed the weapon and killed Torres-Martinez.
Echevarria-Rivera told police he and his relative went to fight Torres-Martinez just before 6 p.m. on Nov. 12, 2022. Torres-Martinez stabbed Echevarria-Rivera on his leg, he said. Afterward, Echevarria-Rivera’s relative tackled Torres-Martinez, which is when Echevarria-Rivera believed Torres-Martinez stabbed the relative. That’s when Echevarria-Rivera grabbed the weapon and killed Torres-Martinez.
Echevarria-Rivera pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was not charged with murder, because he believed Torres-Martinez was going to kill his relative with a knife, even though that belief turned out to be in error. A charge of voluntary manslaughter applies when there is provocation on the part of the victim and there is sudden and intense passion, according to Zawisky.
“This happened quickly in a rage,” Zawisky said. “If this had gone to trial, we would have had a risk of acquittal.”
Curcillo, who viewed a video of the killing, said she knew Echevarria-Rivera was not the only person fighting and that she understood the circumstances leading up to the killing.
“But a life was taken,” she told Echevarria-Rivera at sentencing.
The maximum sentence for voluntary manslaughter is 20 years in prison. Echevarria-Rivera previously pleaded guilty on Feb. 28. He entered an open plea to the single count of voluntary manslaughter, which means he had no agreement with prosecutors on what sentence he would receive.
