Olivarez also sentenced to 20 years extended supervision on reduced charge
By Vicky Wedig
Editor
A Delavan man pleaded guilty last week to stabbing and killing his cousin nearly two years ago and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Rafael Olivarez, 41, pleaded guilty April 25 to a reduced charge – first-degree reckless homicide, avoiding trial on a charge of first-degree intentional homicide. He was sentenced to 20 years in state prison and 20 years extended supervision.
Olivarez is believed to have stabbed his cousin, Ivan Guerrero, 31, who died the same day from the injury, on May 4, 2014, at Guerrero’s apartment at 509 Lawson School Road in Delavan.
According to the criminal complaint, an officer made contact at the scene with Olivarez, whose face, hands, sweatshirt, pants and socks were soaked in blood. The officer also made contact with Guerrero who was laying on his back on the ground and appeared to be injured. A blood trail led from Guerrero to the door of his apartment where there was a pool of blood.
Guerrero was covered in blood, was unable to respond when police called to him and was breathing slowly and shallowly. The officer located a large penetrating stab wound in Guerrero’s upper abdomen that was about 5 inches long and 2 inches wide at its widest point. The officer reported the wound was so deep that visceral fatty tissue appeared to be exposed. Guerrero also had several deep slash wounds to his left arm.
An officer spoke to Guerrero’s wife, Brenda Garcia, who said Olivarez, her husband’s cousin, has been a guest in their home for the evening. Garcia said Olivarez became belligerent with Guerrero and tried to attack him. Garcia said she tried to intervene but Olivarez struck her several times and threw her aside. Police initially reported that Garcia said Olivarez then grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed Guerrero, but later revealed Garcia didn’t see the stabbing occur. Garcia said Olivarez and Guerrero then went outside the apartment.
Guerrero died a couple of hours later at Mercy Hospital in Janesville.
An officer later made contact with Olivarez, who said, “I might be in prison for the rest of my life, but I got Mexicans that will take care of things for me out here,” according to the complaint.
An autopsy conducted May 5, 2014, revealed that Guerrero died as a result of “exsanguination” – blood loss sufficient to cause death – due to multiple stab wounds
