Teresa Padrón, friend and manager of El Taiger, informed the gathered press this Wednesday outside the courthouse that the prosecution will upgrade the charge against Damian Valdez-Galloso, the sole defendant in the death of the reggaeton artist, 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 say much about what we discussed, but I can tell you that they will be raising the charge,” Teresa noted, specifying that the increase in the prosecution's request will be made official at the next hearing on December 19.
"I feel super excited right now. I’m really 'happy.' We did it," added the friend of the deceased singer in an extended excerpt of her statements, uploaded to YouTube by Urbano Yuri DJ.
When asked about the significance of that change in the accusation, Teresa replied firmly: "This means that he could face the death penalty."
Teresa insisted that she could not provide details about her conversations with the Prosecutor's Office, but she hinted that she and possibly others might have to testify.
The Cuban businesswoman described the change in position as another step in the effort to bring justice to El Taiger, his family, and his children.
Regarding Damian's failure to appear in court for the second consecutive week, Teresa downplayed the situation, stating that the judge will 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're not here to see if he's going to show up or not... We're here because we're fighting for the justice that Jose deserves. Whether he's here or not doesn't change anything," he indicated.
"We will keep fighting, and we'll 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 a harsher criminal charge has turned in recent weeks into a growing demand from thousands of the reggaeton artist's followers, particularly from Teresa Padrón, who even led a petition campaign to increase pressure on the authorities.
It was Teresa herself who gave a preview of the announcement on her Instagram stories today, shortly after nine in the morning.
"1 degree!!! God is great. Justice for José," wrote the friend of the deceased reggaeton artist.
Following the modification of the charge, Damian would face an allegation that would increase the severity of the penalty if he were found guilty of murder.
In addition to the charge of second-degree murder being upgraded to first-degree murder, Damian is facing two other charges: tampering with evidence and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Climbing Roles: From Second to First Degree
It was Judge Mindy S. Glazer of the Miami-Dade criminal court who first questioned during the defendant's initial hearing why Damian was not facing a more serious charge, taking into account the circumstances described in the court records.
According to Glazer, it seemed there was "premeditation," based on the events that involved 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 footage
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 assailant dragged the victim's body and cleaned the crime scene before leaving in the car headed towards the area around the hospital where he abandoned the severely injured body of El Taiger.
Public records reveal a significant criminal history for Valdez Galloso, including previous convictions for sexual assault, theft, and possession of weapons.
In addition, ICE detained him twice, and his last prison sentence 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 while his legal future is being evaluated.
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