Pierce Hoempler paused while killing a Miami dad and two sons: ‘You see what you guys let me did’

A Florida neighbor shot and killed a father and his two adult sons during an altercation outside an apartment complex, according to court documents.

Pierce Nelson Hoempler, 36, resided at the apartment complex located on Northeast Fifth Avenue in North Miami, court records show.

The gunfire claimed the lives of 57-year-old Hector Rivera and his sons, 37-year-old Frank Rivera and 33-year-old Jeremy Rivera, according to authorities.

On November 13, 2023, around 4:15 p.m., emergency personnel responded to the property following reports of gunfire between neighbors, police said.

Responding officers found two men dead at the scene, according to police. A third victim was airlifted to a hospital, where he later died from his injuries, records show.

The conflict began earlier that afternoon when Hoempler encountered a close female friend of Hector Rivera as she walked home from work, according to court records.

The woman testified that Hoempler slowly trailed her on a bicycle, verbally harassed her, and threatened to get a gun and shoot her.

She immediately rushed home and placed a phone call to Hector Rivera, court records state.

Hector Rivera was seated inside a vehicle with two of his young grandsons when the phone call arrived, according to court records. The young boys overheard the conversation and witnessed their grandfather become visibly upset, records show.

Hector Rivera drove to the North Miami apartment building and confronted Hoempler outside the residence, police said.

The two men engaged in an argument before the encounter turned physical, according to witnesses.

Hoempler gained the upper hand during the struggle and pinned Hector Rivera to the ground, witnesses said.

While the two men were grappling, a witness noticed a handgun tucked into the back of Hoempler’s pants, records state.

Frank Rivera and Jeremy Rivera arrived at the complex and rushed forward to assist their father, according to investigators.

Hoempler pulled a semi-automatic handgun from his waistband and opened fire on all three family members, according to investigators.

A witness testified that once the weapon was produced, the Rivera men immediately began moving away from Hoempler. Frank Rivera was not close enough to touch him, while Jeremy Rivera had already moved back toward the sidewalk, the witness testified.

A witness ran inside after fearing for his own family and then heard a rapid series of gunshots, court records state.

The gunfire stopped for roughly 30 seconds, according to witness testimony.

During the pause, a witness testified that he heard Hoempler say, “you see what you guys let me did.”

The witness then heard one final gunshot, according to court records.

Hector Rivera was shot six times, sustaining two gunshot wounds to the head, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said physical evidence showed the father was shot from a distance, while both sons sustained wounds consistent with having turned their backs.

All three victims were unarmed throughout the confrontation, according to authorities.

The shootings unfolded directly in front of Frank Rivera’s 8-year-old and 10-year-old sons, who lost their father, uncle, and grandfather at the same time, records show.

Following the gunfire, Hoempler placed a call to 911 and claimed the three men had rushed him, police said.

The defendant maintained to investigators that he had acted in self-defense, records state.

Hoempler later sought legal immunity from criminal prosecution under Florida’s Stand Your Ground statute, according to court filings.

Following a two-day hearing, a judge denied the motion, finding the victims were unarmed and moving away when shot, records show. The judge also ruled that the elder Rivera was already lying wounded on the ground when Hoempler fired the final shot, court records state.

Hoempler appealed the denial, but on March 26, 2025, an appellate court affirmed the decision and allowed the murder case to proceed, records show.

At trial, the defense again claimed self-defense, pointing to the 911 recording where Hoempler claimed the men rushed him, court records show. Prosecutors argued that physical evidence directly contradicted that claim, emphasizing that the victims were unarmed and that two were turning away, records show.

The jury rejected the self-defense argument, court records show.

On September 8, 2026, Hoempler was found guilty of first-degree murder in Hector Rivera’s death and two counts of second-degree murder for killing Frank Rivera and Jeremy Rivera, records show.

A hearing is scheduled for October 23, 2026, to determine Hoempler’s sentencing date, where he faces up to three life sentences, according to court records.