Homicide Grants Pass

Grants Pass Dept. of Public Safety


On June 13, 2019 at approximately 1218 hours 911 dispatchers received a call of a possible assault which had just occurred at the Grants Pass Fred Meyer.  The suspect was reported to have fled on foot from the area.  Responding officers located the victim in the parking lot of Fred Meyer.  The victim was unresponsive and determined to be deceased.  Approximately 12 minutes after in the initial call, Grants Pass Department of Public Safety Officers located Mr. Rolando Rivas Jr (see below picture) a short distance away.  Mr. Rivas was detained without incident. 

Grants Pass Department of Public Safety Detectives were called to investigate the incident.  Mr. Rivas was transported to the Josephine County Jail and lodged on the charge of Murder in the 1st Degree. 

The victim in this incident is a 26 year old male.  The identity of the victim will be released once family notification has been completed.  Both the victim and suspect are residents of Washington State.

This case has been turned over to the Josephine County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution. 

All media inquiries should be routed through their office at 541-474-5200. Grants Pass DPS case number is 2019-28141.

Rolando Rivas

Comments