El Wicked was murdered

Proceso (January 4, 2015) Translated by un vato for Borderland Beat

El Wicked

El Wicked once said that he murdered without remorse, but with passion, "because that was his job and you have to do your job with dedication". --un vato

More detailed update from the journal Reforma added below.

MEXICO, D.F. (proceso.com.mx).--Jose Enrique Jimenez Zavala, "El Wicked", to whom the Chihuahua authorities attributed the murder of activist Marisela Escobedo, was in reality murdered by another inmate inside the San Guillermo prison, the State Attorney General revealed today.

On (December) 31, the State Attorney's Office of Execution of Punishment and Judicial Measures (Fiscalia de Ejecucion de Penas y Medidas Judiciales) had reported that the inmate died last Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. from a massive heart attack.

"El Wicked" had also  been convicted of taking part in the massacre at the Bar Colorado in Chihuahua, where 16 persons died, among them journalists Javier Moya and Javier Salinas. For this action, which took place in April, 2011, Jimenez Zavala was sentenced two years later, in February, 2013, to life in prison.

The State Attorney for the Central Zone, Sergio Almaraz, confirmed that the person who murdered "El Wicked" was Jaime Noel Cuevas, "El Jimy", who was supposedly linked by Jimenez himself to the attack against the customers in the Bar Colorado.

The government official explained that the real cause of death for Jimenez Zavala was strangulation, a consequence of revenge between him and his accomplice, "El Jimy", for various crimes.

The new version by the authorities states that, inside the cell, "El Jimy" subdued "El Wicked" with a kick to the genitals, then threw him on the floor and strangled him.

The murder took place inside the cell where "El Wicked" was staying, to which Jaime Noel Cuevas entered. However, Almaraz did not explain why two highly dangerous inmates were in the same cell.

Jimenez Zavala was part of the program Free from Prisons (Libre de Prisiones). Through this program, the State Attorney Specializing in Punishment and Judicial Measures informs students from upper middle schools and high schools about the consequences of breaking the law. 

"El Wicked" became the principal speaker in the program, using his own testimony as an example. He would say that he was a child with dreams like everybody else, that he dedicated himself to school, but that life's circumstances led him to break the law and he never thought he would be imprisoned.

Update: More detailed article from Reforma.

At the conclusion of scientific studies that were performed on the body of the person who in life answered to the name of Jose Enrique Jimenez Zavala, aka "El Wicked", forensic medical experts determined that the cause of death was by "strangulation" caused by dislocation fracture to the -C1-C2 vertebra (fracture of the cervical column), reported the Central Zone Office for Investigation and Persecution of Crime in a communique.

It reported that several X-rays and scans were performed on the body, which presented edema and cerebral congestion with hemorrhagic infiltration to the base of the cranium, compression of the medulla oblongata and the spinal medulla. from a dislocation fracture of the C1-C2(first vertebrae in the neck), and pulmonary edema on the right side with bruised areas, as well as superficial hemorrhage on the right testicle.

According to the investigations, "El Wicked" was strangled by Jaime Noe Cuevas, who was tried for the multiple murder of 16 persons in the "El Colorado" bar in Chihuahua, in April of 2012.

The State Attorney said that the motive for the homicide was revenge.

On December 31, the same State Attorney General's office, through the Office Specializing in Execution of Punishment and Judicial Measures, disclosed via a communique that Jimenez Zavala had died on December 30 as a result of a massive heart attack in a cell in the State CERESO 1, in Aquiles Serdan.

Around 9:20 p.m., a custodian noticed that Jose Enrique Zavala, who was inside his cell, was undergoing convulsions, which is why he immediately called for help to transfer him to the hospital area", reported the State Attorney General in the communique issued on December 31.

"Once in the medical area, CPR was applied, and an electrocardiogram was taken, verifying that the inmate did not show vital signs", it added.

"El Wicked" was declared dead at 9:30 p.m. on December 30, the State Attorney's office explained on that occasion.

However, the State Attorney stated that the Medical Services coordinator, Dr. Mauro Bernal, explained that once an autopsy was performed on the body, the results established that the vertebra was dislocated, which compressed the medulla and the medulla oblongata, and that the injury resulted in loss of life.

On his part, the State Attorney Specializing in Investigation and Persecution of Crimes for the Central Zone, Sergio Almaraz Ortiz, stated that, based on the scientific results and on the investigation by the Office of the Public Ministry, the alleged murderer was clearly identified.

He indicated that it was "El Wicked's" cell mate, Jaime Noel Cuevas Baeza, 35 years old, originally from Ciudad Juarez.

"Jaime Noel Cuevas Baeza has been imprisoned since 2012 in State Cereso No. 1, located in the Aquiles Serdan municipality, on trial for charges of unlawful carrying of weapons for the exclusive use of the Mexican Army and intentional homicide, based on the events reported on April 20, 2012, inside the "El Colorado" bar, located in the municipality of Chihuahua," he stated.

In his statement, given on Saturday before the Public Ministry Officer and represented by his lawyer, Jaime Noel Cuevas Baeza, stated the following:

"That, finding himself in his cell on December 30, 2014, in the company of Jose Enrique Jimenez Zavala, aka "El Wicked", they had differences, and, remembering that it was he (Wicked) who had testified against him on the charges he is being tried for, he got angrier, and when he saw that Jimenez Zavala was distracted, he kicked him in the testicles. Then "El Wicked" fell on his knees and that is when he began to strangle him and twist his head from side to side with all his strength", the communique mentions.  

"He indicated that he then heard the footsteps of the jail guards, and when the custodian came closer, he told him that Jimenez Zavala had gone into convulsions. Immediately, the prison guards assisted "El Wicked" and transferred him to the CERESO hospital.  He states that, minutes later, he became aware that Enrique Jimenez Zavala, alias 'El Wicked', had died."

The Office of the State Attorney General indicated that Cuevas Baeza has fully confessed and within the next few days, they will draw up charges for intentional homicide committed against Jimenez Zavala.

Marisela Escobedo was murdered on December 16, 2010, in front of the Chihuahua Government Palace, where she was demanding justice for the murder of her daughter Rubi Fraire Escobdo.