Spokane7
58°
October 26, 2009 in News
Homicide victim linked to drug ring
The man found shot to death near Green Bluff last week had been involved in a large marijuana operation for several years and had just paid off an $85,000 debt to his supplier, authorities have learned.
Jesus Torres Valdovinos, 25, reportedly gave his supplier the cash during an Oct. 17 meeting at his north Spokane home, detectives said in new documents filed Monday in Spokane County Superior Court. That meeting occurred one day before his body was found wrapped in plastic bags and two blankets along Day-Mt. Spokane Road.
Valdovinos was shot in the head at his rental home at 623 E. Vicksburg Ave., then dumped about 15 miles away between 5 p.m. Oct. 17 and 11 a.m. Oct. 18, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. Two women walking found his body.
The homicide comes at a time when authorities are reporting an increase in international drug cartels operating sophisticated marijuana growing operations in Eastern Washington.
No arrests have been made in Valdovinos’ death. The Sheriff’s Office is seeking a love seat discovered missing from his home during a search Oct. 20.
Investigators filed search warrant affidavits Monday in Spokane County Superior Court seeking cell phone records for six phone numbers used by Valdovinos and his roommate and for call information on cellular towers in the area where Valdovinos’ body was found. Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan said he had no new information on the case Monday and declined to answer questions.
Detectives learned of Valdovinos’ alleged marijuana business from his roommate, Miguel A. Rodriguez Barbosa, who said he was being trained to take it over when Valdovinos traveled to Mexico for a year, according to the warrants. Barbosa declined to comment when reached by phone Monday.
In interviews with detectives last week, Barbosa said he saw the supplier and a driver leave after Valdovinos paid $25,000 “for a payment on a vehicle” and $60,000 “for past marijuana deals,” according to the warrants.
When Barbosa returned Oct. 18, the home was empty and a 2002 silver Honda Civic registered to Barbosa but driven by Valdovinos was in the garage. “Barbosa said he didn’t notice anything unusual about the interior of the residence,” according to the warrant.
Detectives searched the home again Friday and found a bullet that apparently blew a hole in the ceiling. Barbosa identified a green and white blanket found with Valdovinos’ body as one that came from the home, leading investigators to believe he was killed there.
Valdovinos “stored his marijuana, money and guns” in a storage facility, the Sheriff’s Office was told, according to the documents, but it was unclear if detectives have located it. The owner of the East Vicksburg home, Miguel A. Garcia, was with investigators during the search Friday and declined to comment when reached by phone Monday.
An autopsy performed Oct. 19 identified Valdovinos through fingerprints obtained during a previous arrest and booking into jail, but no information on that arrest was available. No criminal charges have been filed against Valdovinos in Spokane County, according to court records.
Valdovinos’ cousin, Rosa Valdovinos, called detectives from her home in Kent the day of the autopsy and said he’d been due there that weekend but never showed, according to the search warrants.
She provided a phone number for him and said her husband, Edgar Valdovinos Sanchez, was en route to Spokane. Detectives met with Sanchez and Barbosa the next day.
Recent stories by Meghann M. Cuniff
Recent stories in News
Sex trafficking suspects released as probe continues May 29, 2012 4- Center’s activities provide glimpse into network of advocacy groups May 28, 2012 4
- 6-year-old qualifies for national spelling bee May 28, 2012
- $60 million car museum opens near Tacoma May 28, 2012 1
- Lewis-McChord soldier killed in Afghanistan May 28, 2012 9
Erik_T on October 26 at 6:02 p.m.
Hrmmm…..
Pretty easy to discern that marijuana’s illegal listing as a class 1 narcotic could have saved the life of another young person.
Isn’t it unfortunate that so many people have died, and had their families torn apart, because of such a readily fixable problem?
I do understand the governments side in that it would be very difficult to make a taxable profit off of the distribution (or at least taxation of) marijuana, because it is afterall a weed…. That being said, alchohol can be readily made in any climate, and tabacco could also be grown in any climate (indoors) if it was to be listed as illegal. So…. I am not to certain that the governments arguement that actual profiteering ability from marijuana is a good reasoning behind the non-decriminalization….
I hear American’s cry out everyday about illegal hispanic immigrants, and how to stem the tide of their want to come to this country. Lets face it, many of them do not come here for the free medical…. or for the free food…. or for a better education….. Although, those are major contributing factors. The worse of the worst come here to profit from the illegal drug trade. We readers have all noticed the many stories recently about this issue.
Why do we not see this addressed on a larger platform? Why are our legislators not commenting on this, as it is the will of the people that we want this drug to be decriminalized. Furthermore; we do not want these people from foreign countries (and our own country) degrading our neighborhoods with their drug rings.
Pretty easy solution to all of this.
Bob_Knows on October 26 at 7:52 p.m.
Another murder created by the “war on drugs.” How many men will die before the people get tired of their corrupt police state control? Millions of men in prisons. Hundreds of thousands of blue gun thugs on OUR payrolls. Billions of tax dollars wasted, and for what? To push dealers into crime and cause murders.
If pot were growing in farms in Iowa and sold in corner stores for $4 per pack, nobody would be murdered. The fault for his murder lies squally at the feet of Ms. Rogers (etc.) and Ms. Haywire.
spokanada on October 26 at 8:06 p.m.
Erik,
First of all, I agree with your comments except I can’t find the part of the article that says the victim was an illegal immigrant.
Please don’t assume he was an illegal based on the color of his skin or the spelling of his name.
westside on October 26 at 9:45 p.m.
Mexican drug lords in “Near Perfect, Near Nature”?? nahhh…
Erik_T on October 26 at 11:03 p.m.
I, in no way shape or form, said anything about this young person being of hispanic origin, or did I imply that he was the target of my “illegal hispanic immigrants”… However, I have no problem in saying that the majority of the gang violence, and gang influx in regards to the illegal marijuana trade stems from the “worse of the worst” that are also illegal aliens from Mexico. With your statement, you decided that I was referring to him, not I.