ANOTHER VICTIM OF JOSHUA McDANIEL IDENTIFIED
A loved one of another victim who was assaulted by Joshua McDaniel near Highway 249 and Antoine on the same day as Nhan Le has reached out.
Melvin Rivas is currently hospitalized with severe head trauma and brain damage. His family is devastated and they are having to face the possibility that he might not pull through .
McDaniel is charged with striking Rivas with a metal pipe during the July 17, 2026, assault. Both attacks on Melvin and Nhan occurred within an hour of each other. Both attacks were unprovoked.
If this is the first time you have heard about McDaniel, let me recap real quick:
McDaniel was charged in November 2025 with punching an elderly man in the face. He was released from jail on February 2, 2026, and sent to the Judge Ed Emmett Mental Health Diversion Center. The following day, the injury to an elderly individual case was dismissed after he was referred for mental health treatment.
Five months later, McDaniel was arrested and charged in connection with the two brutal attacks.
McDaniel has 16 previous criminal charges and a history that includes violent offenses. He was also previously convicted of robbery with bodily injury.
What requirements did McDaniel complete before the elderly abuse case was dismissed? How long did he remain in treatment? What supervision, if any, followed his release? Were all required safeguards followed before he was allowed back into our community? Who allowed him to get out?
Please keep the families of both victims in your prayers.
Below is a picture of McDaniel in handcuffs at the scene of the crime.
