MIAMI – Authorities announced Wednesday that a man who was known to be friends with Cuban rapper El Taiger has been named the primary suspect in his murder, marking a significant development in the high-profile case.
The Miami Police Department confirmed that Damian Valdez-Galloso, 49, was apprehended in New York City earlier this week after failing to register as a sex offender in Florida.
Police had been searching for Valdez-Galloso for several weeks to question him about the murder of El Taiger, whose real name was Jose Manuel Carbajal Zaldivar.
Authorities believe Valdez-Galloso may have important information to help their case.
It was back on Oct. 3 that the 37-year-old El Taiger was found shot in the back of an SUV near Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.
Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales shared details about the arrest, crediting the collaborative efforts of local, state, and federal agencies in bringing Valdez-Galloso into custody.
The investigation intensified when New York authorities detained Valdez-Galloso, who police say had initially been a person of interest in El Taiger’s murder. Investigators said they later obtained video evidence allegedly showing the suspect shooting the rapper on Oct. 3.
Surveillance video from the incident reportedly shows El Taiger being fatally shot, with his body later found in the cargo area of a white SUV parked near the Hialeah home of Valdez-Galloso, according to investigators.
Police also confirmed that the shooting took place not inside the SUV but at Valdez-Galloso’s residence.
Despite Valdez-Galloso’s arrest on unrelated charges, Miami investigators are now working closely with the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office to determine additional charges related to the rapper’s death.
A motive for the crime remains unclear.