Latest Headlines
- Century Fails To Test Drinking Water For Cyanide, Organic Compounds For Entire Year, DEP Says
- Mostly Sunny, Middle 80s Thursday
- Update: Purple Alert Canceled After Missing, Endangered Man Located Safe
- Wanted Suspect Captured In The Woods In Century
- School District Calls For All Of Highway 164 To Be Widened For Student Safety
- Northview Baseball, Softball Win At Semis, Head To Championship Games
- Free Dog And Cat Adoptions At The Escambia Animal Shelter Until May 15
- Tate Falls To Gulf Breeze 2-1 In District Semifinals
- Two Century Correctional Inmates Assaulted Officers, FDC Says
- A Mom Remembers Her Daughter As Search Continues For Molino Woman’s Killer
Cantonment Resident Charged In Drug Debt Collection Attempt
July 18, 2016
A second Cantonment man has been arrested in connection with a reported home invasion robbery and the battery of an elderly man while trying to collect a drug debt.
Matthew Paul Pittman, 28, forced his way into a home on Woodbury Circle in Cantonment, holding a 79-year old resident at gunpoint, demanding to know the whereabouts of his adult son, according to an arrest report. He found the son exiting a bathroom, placed a semi-automatic handgun against his head and threatened to kill him if he didn’t pay up. The elderly man escaped through the front door, and the son was able to jump out of a bedroom window.
Outside the home, the son was reportedly grabbed by 39-year old Joseph Diamond Rivers of Cantonment who assaulted him and placed a handgun in his mouth while threatening to kill him, deputies said.
The son told deputies that he owned Rivers $300 for Oxycodone tablets, according to the arrest report.
Pittman was charged with burglary of an occupied dwelling with the use of a firearm, battery on a person 65 years of age or older, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He remained in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $810,000.
Rivers was arrested a few days after the incident and charged with burglary of an occupied dwelling with the use of a firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and battery. He has remained in the Escambia County Jail since March with bond set at $130,000.
Comments
19 Responses to “Cantonment Resident Charged In Drug Debt Collection Attempt”
@Rhonda & Cynthia: yeah he sounds like a real peach of a guy. Ted Bundy had women fall in love with him, they thought he wasn’t so bad either.
Just want to say I matthew and isn’t the bad man you are making him out to be Bt the man I know is a loving kind man that worked his butt off to take care of me and two kids not even his..So for that I love him and will be here for him always..KC
I personally know 1 of theses men .I’m not making excuses. But when you are born to a drug addict, abused,as a child mentally, physically and sexually. Have scars physically and mentally and was beaten in the head. Has brain damage and is bipolar. The adoptive parents tried to change and help him but you harsh ugly people that are so judgemental hurt them. So thanks for your understanding. Our law ,doesn’t seem to help these kind so we need more resolution
It all comes down to choices. My choices have me where I am today, your choices have you where you are today, and their choices have them where they are today!
What a low life bottom feeder to the ones who commit crimes I like this i say one chance one time one shot problems solved .
I agree with Mike. Some of the family may have fought & tried their best but I bet there are some that told them they were doing no wrong. Even if he had a hard life he could have had a good one, one has oneself to blame when it comes to drugs & some family can take part not all blame for enabling him. Yes most all have those & most have those that are put down because the other do gooder side chooses to not be a part of that. Just saying
@Rhonda: no matter what a person has been thru, there are always alternatives to being a criminal & a druggie, so please, kindly dear, spare us. I think I speak 4 the majority when I say I’m tired of excuses being made for these types. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but the robbing & killing that goes on bcuz some dopehead needs a “bump” is alot harsher.
Waiting for that Pokey Man thing to be used to identify drug houses so folks can more easily find them.
Not sure what went wrong…his FICO score indicated a low likelihood of default.
I told you drugs make you stupid.
1 of these men ,has been through alot.so rather than being judgemental,we should pray for all involved. Yes they are horribly wrong,but we aren’t the judge .you may be a juror. Also your comments may hurt the innocent family members that are hurting already
I’m not putting down the police they are great. but our justice system is screwed. up if they had killed the two victims they would have probably got out on $25,000 bail. Just sayin, that’s the way it seems to work.
Reminds me of the popeye cartoon. I will gladly pay you on Tuesday for some drugs today.
I put them on the same level as the Doctors that write all these prescriptions.
They used guns, threatened murder, home invasion, and dealing poison, they wont change – 50 years prison for both – no bleeding hearts, no plea deals – enough is enough, they are a plague on society
Woodbury is still a nice place. Weeding out the crap happens in every neighborhood. I won’t hesitate to call 911 anytime I suspect something bad going on. I’d rather be safe than sorry. Not sitting back and being silent any longer.
I think 10-20- life will apply here dam
I bet they would like a doover right about now and take the $300.00 loss
Do people actually do their drug dealing on credit now? Maybe they need to get set up where you can just pay by debit or credit card since it seems everybody is doing it so roll with the flow. Just how much are those pills worth–must be a lot because it seems many people are doing it. That is pretty smart–get your pusher to front you the pills then get the law involved so your pusher goes to jail and you never have to pay the pill bill. SEEMS LIKE A PRETTY GOOD RACKET TO ME. JUSTUSFORALL GETERDONE
wow woodbury used to be a nice place 30 or so years ago. i have not been back up in there since then so am reserving judgement. 1 pillbilly does not a ghetto make. you meet the nicest people hanging out with them just ask my little brother.