A student from the college was found dead on the grass near his campus around June of 2004. The brutal murder had police working swiftly to find the perpetrator. However, they were stunned to learn that the killer was a member of their own. Investigation Discovery’s “A Time to Kill: Acknowledge that the Case, Deny the Murder’ tells the story of how the death of Jesse Valencia and the effort that was put into capturing the perpetrator. If you’re interested in the events that transpired in this case, We’ve got your back.
How Did Jesse Valencia Die?
Jesse Valencia was born in February 1981 in Boyle County, Kentucky. The handsome 23-year-old, who had a lively personality, attended the University of Missouri in Columbia, where he studied politics and history. Jesse had a dream of attending law school after he graduated. However, he was unable to achieve his goal due to what happened on the first evening of June 5, 2004.
At some point during the afternoon that day, a couple of college students dialled 911 after spotting a body lying on a lawn. The body is later confirmed as Jesse. The victim was discovered face-up and dressed in only shorts. Jesse was found with a large cut to his throat that was later confirmed to have occurred when Jesse became unconscious. There were also bumps and bruises across his body. The police were not able to find a weapon of murder on the scene. Medical examiners believed in believing that Jesse was killed around 6 am the next day.
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Who was the killer of Jesse Valencia?
Jesse’s home was not far from the spot where his body was discovered. One neighbour reported hearing an alarm in the house at about 4 am on June 5. The door to Jesse’s apartment was opened at the time of the arrival of the police. To understand their movements of, Jesse, prior to his death, spoke to his family and friends. Authorities were able to determine that Jesse was gay and that one of Jesse’s partners had told police about Jesse’s relationships with the police officer.
The person who spoke to this reporter said that Jesse and the officer, and himself had an unplanned sexual encounter at Jesse’s residence a couple of weeks prior to the murder. The name of Steven Rios identified the officer, then 27 years old, married and with one child. Steven initially denied having an affair with Jesse. However, he later admitted it. He remained steadfast in his assertion that he did not have anything to do with the murder. However, the evidence obtained proved the opposite.
Jesse was introduced to Steven following an officer’s response to a complaint of noise at the residence of a friend of Jesse’s. This occurred sometime in April of 2004, and during the process, Jesse was handed a summons from the municipal court. Steven and Jesse started their romance. However, soon after, Jesse felt that Steven could be getting married and wanted to speak with Steven about the issue. He was also dissatisfied with the fact that he was required to appear in his municipal court. Authorities believed Jesse threatened to reveal their relationship, which led to Steven taking the most drastic step.
In addition, DNA evidence was found under Jesse’s nails that were similar to Steven’s. The hairs on Jesse’s arms found on his body were similar to Steven’s. The authorities believe that Jesse was put in a chokehold until the time he was unconscious. The bruises on his body were in line with the type of chokehold that police are taught during their work. The prosecution later claimed that Steven did not disclose the name he gave to Jesse also. Another woman claimed that Steven was propositioned after he arrested them. As a pattern began to emerge and physical evidence linked Steven with the crime, The trial went in the direction of the prosecution.
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What is Steven Rios Now?
The trial began in May of 2005. Steven received a conviction for first-degree murder as well as an armed criminal act. He was sentenced to life without parole and an additional 10 years in prison at the time. Steven denied guilt and claimed that the event was far away from the crime scene at that time. Crime. Two years after Steven was granted the right to a second trial following a decision, some statements given during the trial were based on hearsay. A retrial in 2008 resulted in his conviction for second-degree murder and an armed criminal act. Steven was given a life sentence, with an additional sentence of 23 years. Recent reports suggest Steven is in the South Dakota State Penitentiary in Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, to ensure his safety.
