‘Senseless.’ North Miami man found guilty of gunning down neighbor and two sons

Crime admin September 9, 2026 0 Comments

‘Senseless.’ North Miami man found guilty of gunning down neighbor and two sons

A man was found guilty Tuesday of gunning down his neighbor and his neighbor’s two sons during an argument in the front yard of a North Miami apartment complex.

The jury found Pierce Nelson Hoempler, 36, guilty of one count of first-degree murder for the slaying of Hector Rivera, 57, and two counts of second-degree murder for the killings of Frank Rivera, 37, and Jeremy Rivera, 33.

Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Miguel de la O presided over the trial.

Defense attorney Carlos Gonzalez argued that Hoempler was defending himself, pointing to a 911 call that Hoempler made after the shooting and in which he said he was “rushed” by the victims. But prosecutor Elizabeth Utset highlighted how it was “inconvenient” for Hoempler that Hector, Frank and Jeremy were unarmed — and how evidence suggested that two of them had turned their backs when they were shot.

With their verdict, jurors rejected Hoempler’s self-defense theory.

In a statement, Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said she hopes the verdict brings the Riveras “some sense of closure after enduring such unimaginable pain.”

“The senseless murder of Hector Rivera and his two sons, Jeremy and Frank, was made even more tragic as they were gunned down in front Frank’s 8-year-old and 10-year-old sons who lost their father, uncle, and grandfather all at once,” Fernandez Rundle said. “We want to thank the jury for their service in the triple homicide trial of Pierce Hoempler finding him guilty of one count of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder.”

On Nov. 13, 2023, Hoempler got into an altercation with Hector in the front lawn of their apartment complex, 12240 NE Fifth Ave. in North Miami, according to police. While on the ground, Hoempler got on top of Hector, pinning him down.

READ MORE: Father, two sons shot to death in North Miami after dispute with neighbor, police say

Frank and Jeremy rushed over to help their father. The scuffle escalated, police say, when Hoempler pulled out a semi-automatic pistol from his waistband and shot all three men.

Hector was shot six times — twice in the head, according to court records. Evidence from the scene, prosecutors said, indicated that Hector was shot from a distance. Frank and Jeremy had gunshot wounds consistent with them turning their backs.

Hoempler’s sentencing date will be set at an Oct. 23 hearing. He is facing up to three life sentences.