Bio

Yosvanis Valle was born on September 7, 1975, in Havana, Cuba. He was part of the Marielito immigration wave, which brought many Cubans to the United States in the early 1980s after his father was expelled from Cuba. When Yosvanis was 14 years old, he moved to the U.S. to join his father, who had been living in the country for almost a decade.

Growing up in Cuba, Valle faced various challenges. His early life was marked by poverty and a difficult home environment. His childhood included experiences of abuse and trauma, which later played a role in how he behaved as an adult. Once in the U.S., Valle struggled to fit in and adapt to his new surroundings.

As a teenager, Valle's life took a turn toward crime. He was convicted of aggravated assault with bodily injury as a juvenile in December 1991, which marked the beginning of his criminal record. Following this, he spent time in the Texas Youth Commission. In November 1993, he received an eight-year sentence for possession of a prohibited weapon. He was released in May 1997 but continued to have legal troubles. Valle's difficulties stemming from his upbringing in Cuba and his experience in the U.S. contributed to his involvement in crime.

After his release, Valle became involved with a Hispanic gang called La Raza Unida. He took on a leadership role within the gang, which influenced many of his future decisions. Throughout his early life, Valle's experiences and environment appeared to have a significant impact on his choices and the path he ultimately took.

Murder Story

On June 7, 1999, Yosvanis Valle and four others targeted Jose “Yogi” Junco, a 28-year-old drug dealer, for robbery. Valle led the plan to rob Junco and assigned roles to the other men involved. Around 11 p.m., Junco's girlfriend heard dogs barking and saw the men outside, thinking they wanted to buy drugs. When Junco went outside, he returned with his hands in the air, followed by the group with guns. The men forced Junco back into the house and argued with him about drugs and money. They then shot him eight or nine times.

After the robbery, Valle and his accomplices took a cookie tin filled with money, drugs, and explicit photographs, as well as two rifles. On their way back to Valle's apartment, he bragged about shooting Junco multiple times. They discussed their actions with little regard for the gravity of the situation.

Following a tip, police conducted a lineup, and Junco's girlfriend identified one of the murderers. Valle was arrested two months after the killing when he attempted to bail out a fellow gang member. During the investigation, evidence showed that Valle bragged about being the one who shot Junco and was linked to other violent acts.

Valle was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death in 2001. He was tied to the murders of three other men – Raymond Duenas, Carlos Escamilla, and Gregory García – all related to gang activity. Valle was executed by lethal injection on November 10, 2009. Before his execution, he expressed remorse and acknowledged the consequences of his actions.