Puerto Rico man confesses to killing lawyer and activist in cannabis dispute

Residents of Puerto Rico reacted to a violent dispute that claimed two lives and ended with a third man dead in his apartment. The incident centers on a legal battle over a medicinal cannabis business and money that one investor claimed was owed to him.

Luis Quiñones González, a well-known attorney, was shot around 10:45 a.m. as he left a courthouse in Ponce. He was driving a white Dodge Ram when the attack occurred. The vehicle crashed into a pole after the shooting. Quiñones González was taken to Dr. Pila Hospital in his wife’s car, where he died. His wife, who was driving ahead of him, returned fire and wounded the suspected attacker, William Rivera Sánchez.

Rivera Sánchez posted two videos to social media shortly after the shooting. In the clips, he admitted to killing the lawyer. He said he had grown tired of doing things the right way and decided to act forcefully instead. He linked the crime to money he had invested in a business venture. The videos also mentioned Félix Plaud, a former student leader associated with the New Progressive Party. At that time, Plaud’s family had already reported him missing.

Police located Rivera Sánchez in his apartment at 1:57 p.m. He had barricaded himself inside. Officers found three firearms in the unit. They confirmed that Rivera Sánchez was dead. Hours later, around 2:30 p.m., authorities received a report of a man shot in the Borinquen neighborhood of Guayama, near a gas station. Police identified the victim as Félix Plaud. Records showed Plaud had last met with Rivera Sánchez around 7 p.m. on Friday before his family lost contact with him.

The conflict stemmed from a lawsuit filed in June in the San Juan First Instance Court. Rivera Sánchez sued Quiñones González and other entities for $666,000. He alleged breach of contract and damages related to a project to open a cannabis dispensary in Cupey, San Juan. Rivera Sánchez claimed he was invited to invest in the project in mid-2021. He said he was promised a 24.5 percent stake in exchange for an initial investment of $125,000.

The lawsuit detailed additional costs Rivera Sánchez said he covered for the project. These included $22,000 in rent payments between November 2022 and January 2026, $10,000 for equipment, and $4,000 for renovations. He sought $166,000 to recover these amounts and $500,000 for alleged emotional distress, totaling $666,000. The legal dispute involved Quiñones González, Plaud, and other commercial entities connected to the cannabis business.