In a shocking case that has rocked Las Vegas, what began as tension between roommates escalated to a gruesome murder when 56-year-old freelance journalist Matthew Scott Kelemen was allegedly killed by his roommate, Joseph Del Rivo, following disputes about cleanliness and living habits.
At a Glance
- Journalist Matthew Kelemen was found dead inside a metal box near Downtown Las Vegas on May 20
- Police say he was killed by roommate Joseph Del Rivo following months of growing conflict
- Del Rivo allegedly struck Kelemen with a hammer before concealing his body in an amplifier case
- Kelemen’s body was discovered after storage workers reported a foul odor from a dropped-off container
- Del Rivo died in a 140-mph police chase in Utah before facing charges
When a Roommate Becomes a Killer
Matthew Kelemen was a respected journalist whose bylines appeared in The Daily Beast, Las Vegas Sun, and Las Vegas Weekly, where he recently reviewed Janet Jackson’s Vegas residency. But behind the professional success was a private life spiraling into danger.
According to his sister, Mikki Zaferatos, Kelemen had shared growing discomfort about Del Rivo’s “disgusting” habits and strange behavior. He’d planned to confront his roommate about the living conditions—but never got the chance.
Watch a report: Las Vegas journalist murdered by roommate.
From Argument to Murder
Investigators believe Kelemen was killed with a hammer during a confrontation at their apartment. Del Rivo allegedly wrapped the body in a tarp and stuffed it inside a metal amplifier box—possibly one of Kelemen’s own—before dropping it off at a Las Vegas storage facility using a Bounce app. Four days later, a foul odor led employees to open the container, revealing Kelemen’s decomposing remains.
A Family’s Horror—and No Closure
Zaferatos was notified by the medical examiner. She initially feared a car accident, only to be told her brother had been murdered. “I’m barely holding it together,” she said. Her shock turned to horror as more details emerged, including the grisly method of body disposal and the unthinkable violence of a domestic dispute gone fatally wrong.
Before police could arrest Del Rivo, he died in a high-speed police chase in Utah, reaching speeds of 140 mph before crashing. With the prime suspect dead, no trial will be held, and no answers will be given—leaving Kelemen’s family with a brutal void and unresolved grief. The tragedy serves as a haunting reminder of the hidden dangers within shared homes, where personal conflicts can explode with deadly consequences.
