Edwin Valero has been exhumed as part of a investigation into the cause of his death. Initial reports were that he had hanged himself in his cell after murdering his wife, although that is now being called into question by his family.
It has now been suggested by his family that Valero was murdered by police in his cell, rather than having committed suicide as the original reports claimed.
Several weeks ago Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez also claimed that Valero and his wife had been killed by enemies of the state, although at the time it seemed as if he was merely using the tragedy as a means of strengthening his political position.
There were certainly some unanswered questions about Valero’s death and the events leading up to it although it still appears that Valero did murder his wife.
In statements to police before his death, Valero claimed that he and his wife were being followed by underworld figures who intended to kidnap him and that he spoke to a police officer who recommended that Valero check in to the hotel where the body of his wife was later found.
That police officer has yet to be found, if indeed there ever was one. Similarly Valero said that after checking into the hotel he continued to drink until be passed out, which seems an odd move if he believed he was being followed.
