Damian Valdez-Galloso, accused of the murder of Cuban reggaeton artist José Manuel Carbajal Zaldívar (El Taiger), appeared for the first time this Thursday in the Miami-Dade criminal court before Judge Mindy S. Glazer, who denied him bail.
During the hearing, where he attended wearing a suicide prevention vest and with a completely expressionless face, Damian could only be heard saying a barely audible "no" when asked if he had the means to hire a private attorney.
In response to the refusal, the judge indicated that a public defender should be assigned.
With a distant gaze and barely moving, Damian showed no emotions on his face during the reading of the charges. Notably, the judge questioned the prosecutor about the most significant charge, that of second-degree murder, deeming it insufficient based on the description of the events.
During the court appearance, Judge Mindy Glazer questioned the second-degree murder charge and asked the prosecution why they were not charging him with first-degree murder.
Second-degree murder is defined as one that occurs without prior planning or deliberation. It results from an impulsive action or an intentional act where the intent to kill did not exist at the outset of the event.
However, in first-degree murder, the key element is premeditation, as it involves a planned and deliberate act carried out beforehand.
Premeditation can result from a plan developed over an extended period or from a decision made in a short timeframe, as long as it is shown that the perpetrator had the conscious intent to commit the crime.
"Is that the correct accusation? It seems that he shot her in the head and then dragged her body and put it in a vehicle, and the victim died subsequently," Glazer said.
"Isn't there an intention to kill? Wouldn't that be a charge of first-degree murder?" he added.
"Your Honor, I'm not sure if we still have enough evidence to prove premeditation, which is necessary for first-degree," the prosecutor replied.
"The prosecution added, 'To charge with first degree, we need an accusation that we do not have yet.'"
According to records from the TGK jail in the county, in addition to second-degree murder, Damian is facing two other charges: attempted tampering with physical evidence and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Valdez-Galloso, the sole suspect in the crime involving El Taiger, was extradited on Wednesday to Miami International Airport from New York, where he was captured on October 29 after being on the run for more than 20 days.
Dressed in white and under strict security measures, the defendant underwent a thorough inspection upon landing, following the standard protocol of the authorities to ensure the safety and integrity of the process.
During the transfer and review, he remained silent, showing no signs of resistance.
A video shared by Univision journalist Javier Díaz showed that Damián's demeanor upon arriving in Miami was quite haughty. He was taken down from a patrol car handcuffed and accompanied by two officers.
Profile of the accused and criminal background
Damian Valdez-Galloso, known by the alias "El Narra," has a documented criminal record that spans over a decade.
Between 2007 and 2018, he accumulated six convictions, including two cases involving sexual relations with minors aged 16 to 17, and three for failing to register as a sexual offender.
Additionally, in 2018 he was convicted of grand theft, and he was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in 2015 and 2019.
He was released from prison for the last time in September 2020, and in 2021, he faced a charge of grand theft in Miami-Dade County.
Records show that, as a convicted offender, Valdez-Galloso lived in Hialeah as a registered sex offender. The last reported address of the suspect was a coral-colored house located at the intersection of SE 5th Street and 5th Avenue.
Research and capture
The chief of police in Miami, Manuel A. Morales, confirmed in a recent press conference that Valdez-Galloso is the material author of the murder of El Taiger, and stated that there are no other individuals involved in the crime.
Although not all the details regarding how the accused was located in New York have been revealed, Miami police sent officers to the city, which resulted in his arrest in Queens.
Additionally, close sources indicated the existence of surveillance footage that captured the moment El Taiger was shot and fell in front of Valdez-Galloso's house, as well as how he was later placed in a car. This video has not yet been released by the police.
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