911 Call Released of Man Accused of Killing Cuban Reggaeton Star El Taiger

Authorities in the United States have unveiled the 911 call recording made by Damian Valdez-Galloso, the individual accused of murdering Cuban reggaeton artist El Taiger, whose real name was José Manuel Carbajal Zaldívar. The artist was discovered critically injured with a gunshot wound to the head inside an SUV on October 3, 2024, near Northwest 9th Avenue and 17th Street in Miami. He succumbed to his injuries on October 10.

The recording, released by the prosecutor's office and reported by NBC Miami, features Valdez-Galloso, 49, describing to the 911 dispatcher in Spanish how he "came across the running vehicle" and what seemed to be a person inside. "I was passing by, snooping around while parking, and saw the car was on," he mentions. "It seemed odd. I didn't see anyone there, so I leaned in and it looked like there was a man lying in the car," he added.

The dispatcher inquires if the person appeared to be asleep and whether Valdez-Galloso tried knocking on the window. "I called out 'hey,' but I saw a lot of blood on the floor," Valdez-Galloso responds. "On the floor outside the car?" the dispatcher probes. "No, inside the car when I looked through the window," he clarifies. "A man, yes. He's half-naked."

Despite his claims in the call, prosecutors assert that Valdez-Galloso is the prime suspect in El Taiger's murder. Court documents indicate that he shot the artist in the head after opening the door to his home in the early hours of the crime. Additionally, the incident was captured on video, as confirmed by police sources.

The footage allegedly shows Valdez-Galloso loading the singer into a Mercedes Benz SUV after the shooting, driving around the house multiple times before heading to Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he abandoned the vehicle near the emergency entrance. He reportedly made the 911 call thereafter. Valdez-Galloso faces charges of first-degree murder, attempted tampering with physical evidence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was apprehended in New York less than three weeks after the murder.

The case has drawn significant attention from the Latin community and fans of the Cuban artist. Recently, a judge allowed the singer's business to continue operating under new management, with his four children potentially taking legal control of his estate soon, as court documents revealed.

As the legal proceedings unfold, the release of the audio adds another layer of controversy to the case, with Valdez-Galloso maintaining that he acted in self-defense.