How did Valentin Elizalde die? His horrific death detailed

Valentin Elizalde was a famous Mexican singer who died on 25th November 2006. Elizalde followed his father into music, becoming a huge hit and surpassing the family patriarch in popularity. The Golden Rooster, as he was popularly known, gained fame outside his homeland, performing in various cities in the United States. 

Elizalde’s rise coincided with the proliferation of drug violence in Mexico. Waring cartels killed indiscriminately in attempts to control the lucrative drug trade. Therefore, some of Valentin’s hits in Mexico were narcocorridos, songs recounting and praising the exploits of drug traffickers. Valentin’s singing eventually led to his demise. 

Members of the Los Zetas gang killed Valentin shortly after he performed at a concert in Reynosa, Tamaulipas. Reports stated that two vehicles chased Valentin’s black suburban and opened fire using automatic weapons, killing Valentin, his assistant, and his chauffeur. 

Authorities recovered around 70 bullet cartridges scattered around Elizalde’s car. He was hit over twenty times. The Gulf Cartel reportedly targeted Valentin because his narcocorridos praised the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the Gulf Cartel’s rivals. 

The Gulf Cartel uploaded a video of Valentin’s autopsy, exposing his bloodied and bullet-ridden body. Three employees of the Valle de la Paz funeral home admitted to recording the video. Bolivar Hernandez, the head police officer of Reynosa, said:

“Valle de la Paz funeral home employees Julio Martinez, Hector Lara, and Nicolas Martinez admitted taking photographs and video of Elizalde’s body. They have taken responsibility for this shameful act.”

Raul Hernandez Barron, Elizalde’s alleged murderer, was arrested in March 2008 in Coatzintla, Veracruz.

Without Elizalde’s influence, a video of his shot-up body might not have surfaced on the internet. 

Elizalde pioneered the use of grotesque videos to advance cartel interests. In 2006, Valentin posted a narcocorrido video filled with dead bodies. “I’m singing this song to all my enemies,” Valentin said. 

The video sparked enmity between Elizalde and the Gulf Cartel as it appeared to mock the cartel and promote its rival, the Sinaloa Cartel. After Valentin’s upload, drug lords began flooding the internet with images of murder and torture.

The internet became an avenue for sending threats, recruiting members, and glorifying the pseudo-glamorous drug-trafficker lifestyle.