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The correctional system of Miami-Dade updated the police photograph of Damián Valdez-Galloso, known as "El Narra," who remains in custody accused of the crime involving the Cuban reggaeton artist José Manuel Carvajal Zaldívar, "El Taiger."
The journalist Daniel Benítez reported on Facebook that updating the photograph of the detainee is «a common practice for those who spend years behind bars».
In the new image, Valdez-Galloso appears wearing a red t-shirt, a white undershirt, short curly black hair, and a slight beard.
What does Valdez-Galloso's police record say?
Damián Valdez-Galloso was admitted to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami-Dade (TGKCC) on November 6, 2024, at 7:17 PM (19:17), under the inmate number 240162950.
The record indicates that he was born on December 5, 1974, is male, classified as white, stands 5 feet 8 inches tall (approximately 1.73 m), weighs 190 pounds (about 86 kg), has black hair, and brown eyes.
He is facing a case for case F24023303, which includes a standard bond of 10,000 dollars. Among the charges against him are second-degree murder with a weapon, manipulation or attempt to alter physical evidence, and possession of a firearm, weapon, or ammunition by a person previously convicted of a felony in Florida.
The case file also notes that one of the charges is not bailable, while others have amounts of $5,000 and $7,500, along with a hold for the corresponding division.
The record also includes an arrest warrant identified as case F24021948, also with a bail of $10,000, for two counts of failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements. At the time the police photograph was updated, the charges remained active and no bail was posted.
The crime that keeps him behind bars occurred on October 3, 2024 in Hialeah, Florida. Valdez-Galloso allegedly shot the reggaeton artist El Taiger in the forehead during an argument at a residence. He then transported his body in a black Mercedes Benz and abandoned it in front of Jackson Memorial Hospital.
El Taiger, 37 years old, passed away seven days later, on October 10, 2024.
How was Damián Valdez-Galloso arrested?
After leaving the artist's body, the accused fled. He was captured in New York by federal agents and extradited to Miami on November 7, 2024.
The charges were escalated from second-degree murder to first-degree murder on November 27 of that year, as the Prosecutor's Office considered that the crime was premeditated.
In addition to the main charge, Valdez-Galloso faces accusations of tampering with physical evidence and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. His prison record also shows charges for failing to meet registration requirements as a sex offender, under a separate file.
The accused pleaded not guilty. His defense claims that he acted in self-defense and points to another individual as responsible for the shooting, an argument that the prosecution rejects with compelling evidence in the case, including recordings from security cameras, DNA samples, and over 1,200 photographs and forensic documents.
It was also revealed that a 911 call was made in which Valdez-Galloso allegedly pretended to be a witness who found the vehicle with the victim.
The Prosecutor's Office has ruled out the death penalty but is seeking a mandatory life sentence in the event of a conviction.
The case had a parallel chapter involving the reguetonero Chocolate MC (Yosvanis Sierra Hernández), found guilty in November 2025 for publicly threatening Valdez-Galloso and offering money to have him attacked in prison. In March 2026, he received a 10-year prison sentence along with five years of probation.
The main trial has been postponed multiple times since late 2025. The most recent date set by the court is September 15, 2026, with a status hearing scheduled for August 19, as family and supporters of El Taiger await justice for one of the crimes that has most shocked the Cuban community in Miami.
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