Teresa Padrón, friend and manager of El Taiger, informed the press gathered outside the courthouse this Wednesday that the prosecution will upgrade the charge against Damian Valdez-Galloso, the sole accused in the reggaeton artist's death, from second-degree murder to first-degree murder.
"They are going to elevate the charge to first degree. The Prosecutor's Office confirmed it to me. I can't talk much about what we discussed, but I can tell you that they will raise the charge," Teresa noted, adding that it will be on December 19, at the next hearing, when the increase in the prosecution's request will be made official.
“I’m super excited right now. I’m really happy. We did it,” added the friend of the deceased singer in an extended segment of the remarks uploaded to YouTube by Urbano Yuri DJ.
When asked about the significance of that change in the accusation, Teresa responded firmly: "This means that he could face the death penalty."
Teresa insisted that she could not provide details about her conversation with the Prosecutor's Office, but she hinted that she and others might have to testify.
The Cuban businesswoman described the change of position as another step in the effort to seek justice for El Taiger, his family, and his children.
Regarding Damian's failure to appear in court for the second consecutive week, Teresa downplayed the situation and stated that the judge would sign an order requiring him to appear whenever they decide.
"I didn't know if he was going to show up or not, but we are not here to see whether he shows up or not... We are here because we are fighting for the justice that Jose deserves; whether he is here or not does not change anything," he stated.
"We will continue to fight, and I will see you on December 19," he concluded.
Urbano Yuri Dj, who was present at the hearing—which lasted very briefly—indicated that Damian's new lawyer made several statements regarding the case, but the most important thing is that at the end of the session, Teresa had the aforementioned conversation with the prosecutor on the case.
The request for an increased criminal charge has become a growing demand among thousands of the reggaeton artist's followers in recent weeks, particularly from Teresa Padrón, who even led a petition campaign to apply more pressure on the authorities.
It was Teresa herself who hinted at the announcement today in her Instagram stories, shortly after nine in the morning.
"1st degree!!! God is great. Justice for José," wrote the friend of the deceased reggaeton artist.
After the charge modification, Damian would face an accusation that would escalate the severity of the penalty if found guilty of murder.
In addition to the charge of second-degree murder being upgraded to first-degree murder, Damian faces two other charges: tampering with evidence and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Positions in escalation: From second to first degree
It was the judge of the Miami-Dade criminal court, Mindy S. Glazer, who was the first to question during the defendant's initial hearing why Damian was not being charged with a more serious offense, given the circumstances described in the court records.
According to Glazer, it appeared there was "premeditation," based on the events involving a gunshot to the head followed by the manipulation of the victim's body.
However, the prosecution explained at that time that they needed more substantial evidence to support the premeditation required for a more serious charge.
Surveillance camera video
A video from a surveillance camera of a house near Damian's home captured the exact moment when El Taiger was shot.
Subsequently, the alleged attacker dragged the victim's body and cleaned up the crime scene before leaving in the car headed towards the area surrounding the hospital where he abandoned the badly injured body of El Taiger.
Public records reveal an extensive criminal history for Valdez Galloso, which includes prior convictions for sexual assault, theft, and possession of weapons.
Additionally, ICE detained him twice, and his last incarceration ended in 2020. Since then, he has lived in Hialeah as a registered sex offender.
With bail denied since his arrest, Valdez Galloso remains in custody as his legal future is being evaluated.
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