The head of the Miami Police, Manuel A. Morales, provided new details this Wednesday regarding the murder case of Cuban reggaeton artist José Manuel Carbajal, known as El Taiger, and stated that they have enough evidence to secure a guilty verdict against the alleged killer.
In an appearance on the program "Encuentro Virtual" with journalist Gloria Ordaz from Telemundo 51, Morales stated that both the police and the Prosecutor's Office have all the evidence needed for the accused, Damián Valdez-Galloso, to be found guilty.
His statements address the speculation that the defense might argue that the subject acted in self-defense.
In this regard, Morales firmly stated that this hypothesis lacks support in the evidence gathered so far.
"There is no possibility of claiming it was self-defense. In Florida, you have the right to defend your home, but the evidence does not support that this is what occurred; rather, it indicates a murder—a crime that cannot be denied. We are confident, the detectives working on the case, that we will reach a guilty verdict," emphasized the police chief.
Morales also emphasized that the initial interview with Valdez-Galloso, which has yet to be released, is crucial for determining whether the murder was an act of self-defense or if it was indeed a premeditated crime.
"This interview is very important to determine the details of the case; that’s why we have not made all the information public," he argued.
In addition to the interview, there are two videos and cell phone records that have not yet been released to protect the investigation, he explained.
Regarding the request for the charges to be elevated to First Degree Murder, the official noted that the authorities have not yet found evidence that the crime was premeditated, and that the existing evidence thus far supports the charge of Second Degree Murder.
"The evidence is strong, both video and physical, and there are two people involved in the incident," explained Morales, "the assailant and the victim."
Regarding the nature of the murder, the police chief explained that the shot that took El Taiger's life was direct and at close range, and that the victim was shot in the forehead while facing his killer.
"The shot was fired straight on, indicating that El Taiger was face to face with his assailant," Morales noted.
Additionally, he mentioned that a young woman was in the house at the time of the murder, although he stated that she did not take part in the events.
The arrest of Valdez-Galloso, who had been at large since October 3, occurred on Tuesday in New York, where the suspect had been staying in a hostel without anyone assisting him, said Morales.
"He was staying in a hostel in New York and no one was helping him," he revealed, emphasizing that the capture was made possible through collaboration between the police forces of Miami and New York.
Morales also denied rumors suggesting that El Taiger may have been tortured before his death, clarifying that “there is no evidence that he was tortured.” The official version is that the reggaeton artist was murdered, and while the crime is still under investigation, it has no justification.
The case, which has shocked both the Cuban community and the music industry, is still under investigation.
The reggaeton artist El Taiger, whose legacy in cubatón made him one of the most influential figures in Cuban urban music, was declared dead on October 10, seven days after being found shot and abandoned by Damián Valdéz-Galloso in front of Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.
The detainee Damián Valdez-Galloso was transferred to Miami-Dade this week to face justice for this crime, which occurred in a house he rented in Hialeah.
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