Following a tumultuous relationship and run-ins with Valenzuela police, star boxer Edwin Valero was found dead in his jail cell, hanging by the sweat pants that he was arrested in. Valero was one of Valenzuela’s popular boxers and boasted of a record of 27 straight knock-outs and a tattoo of President Hugo Chavez displayed on his chest.
Valero was in jail for stabbing his wife to death. Jennifer Viera, 24, was found dead in a hotel room on Sunday. Valero was also in the hotel and told hotel security that he had stabbed his wife. Prior to that, the boxer was also charged in the past month of harassing his wife and threatening personnel in the hospital where she was admitted. In March, his wife was admitted to the hospital after suffering from a punctured lung and broken ribs. Viera reported that the injuries were due to a fall, although Valero was suspected by police, doctors and nurses as the cause of the injures. Soon after Valero was ordered to stay in a psychiatric hospital for nine days, where he underwent police-supervised rehabilitation. He was able to go out after bail by posted in April 7.
His manager blames authorities for being too permissive in Valero’s case, saying that he thought Valero should have stayed in jailed.
“I asked the authorities not to let him out. He needed a lot of help. He was very bad in the head, Jose Castillo said.
Valero, known to have alcohol and cocaine problems, also suffered from depression. As a boxer Valero packed powerful and explosive punches and was known to Valenzuela fans as Inca.