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Valentina Trespalacios was Murdered and Dumped In a Suitcase
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Jan 9, 2025
John Poulos, a 35-year-old American man, is the prime suspect in the murder of his Colombian girlfriend, Valentina Trespalacios. Evidence suggests a history of domestic violence and jealousy leading up to the murder, including Poulos hiring a private investigator to follow Trespalacios. Poulos was apprehended in Panama attempting to flee to Turkey, and Trespalacios's body was found in a suitcase. The prosecution is pursuing charges of aggravated femicide and evidence tampering, offering a plea bargain for a reduced sentence. The legal proceedings are ongoing, facing challenges including translator issues and threats against the defense attorney.
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at greenlight.com
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audio all right so get ready for a deep
1:05
dive into a case that's really captured
1:07
the world's attention the murder of
1:10
Valentina Tres balasos in Bogota
1:12
Columbia right um we've got a stack of
1:15
sources here court documents witness
1:17
testimonies wow even security footage
1:20
and we're going to unpack it all okay to
1:21
try to help you understand what happened
1:23
what makes this case so fascinating is
1:25
the way it unfolds right like a thriller
1:28
yeah you've got International TR travel
1:30
a hidden suitcase conflicting accounts
1:33
yeah it's like something straight out of
1:35
a movie it really is yeah and at the
1:37
center of it all is an American
1:38
boyfriend right John polos John polos
1:41
who is the Prime Suspect y so to
1:44
understand how we got here okay let's
1:46
start by getting to know Valentina and
1:48
John a bit better sounds good so
1:51
Valentina Valentina was a young DJ in
1:53
bogot okay building her career very
1:56
active on social media seemed to have a
1:58
bright future ahead of her
2:00
okay John on the other hand is a
2:02
35-year-old American mhm with a past
2:06
okay that immediately raises some red
2:08
flags okay let's unpack this past okay
2:11
what do we know about him well he was
2:13
previously married mhm and has three
2:16
children okay tragically yeah his oldest
2:19
son passed away oh from a rare and
2:21
aggressive form of cancer wow we also
2:24
know that his ex-wife filed a
2:25
restraining order against him for
2:27
violence okay so right from the start
2:30
yeah we see this potential pattern yeah
2:34
of controlling Behavior that's
2:36
definitely something to keep in mind yes
2:38
as we go deeper into this for sure now
2:40
how did these two even cross paths they
2:43
met on a dating app okay as many couples
2:46
do these days right but there's
2:48
conflicting information about how long
2:50
they were actually dating okay some
2:51
reports say8 months okay others a year
2:55
and some even say they started dating
2:57
wow back in September 2022 so there's a
3:00
bit of mystery surrounding their
3:02
relationship timeline already yeah and
3:04
to add to that okay some sources say
3:06
John was planning to moved to Colombia
3:08
to be with Valentina MH he even told
3:11
some people they were going to get
3:12
married that's right wow but if that's
3:16
the case yeah some of his actions
3:18
leading up to valentina's death right
3:20
become even more perplexing let's talk
3:22
about that weekend in bog then okay we
3:25
know John flew in right and the couple
3:28
was spotted at a nightclub called Texas
3:30
where Valentino was
3:33
DJing yes okay security footage shows
3:36
them holding hands okay seemingly happy
3:39
uhhuh enjoying the night okay Valentina
3:42
finished her set around 5:00 a.m. okay
3:45
and left the club with John in a
3:48
taxi they hi it to his apartment okay
3:51
which he had rented just days before
3:53
wait he rented an apartment just days
3:55
before flying to Colombia to supposedly
3:57
start a new life with Valentina right if
3:59
he was playing to move there yeah
4:01
wouldn't it make more sense to find
4:03
something yeah more permanent yeah that
4:07
seems a bit odd don't you think it
4:09
definitely raises questions about his
4:11
true intentions yeah and what happened
4:14
inside that apartment remains a mystery
4:16
right at least for now but what we do
4:18
know is that the very next day
4:21
valentina's body was found in a suitcase
4:24
right dumped in a park dumpster and the
4:28
details of this discovery are truly
4:30
chilling yeah imagine the scene a
4:33
suitcase discarded in a dumpster oh wow
4:36
and then even more horrifying
4:39
Valentine's head sticking out oh my God
4:42
it speaks to the brutality of the crime
4:44
yeah and the callous way in which her
4:46
body was disposed of it's absolutely
4:48
horrific and while all this was
4:49
happening JN was already making his
4:52
Escape it seems like it he drove the
4:54
suitcase to the dumpster headed to the
4:56
airport and started an elaborate plan to
4:59
invade authorities it seems he was
5:01
trying to Disappear Completely yeah he
5:03
purchased multiple flight tickets with
5:05
cash wow flying to Panama then Brazil
5:08
mhm then turkey okay with his final
5:12
destination being Montenegro a country
5:14
with no extradition treaty with Colombia
5:16
so it's like he was trying to stay one
5:18
step ahead of the law hopping from
5:20
country to Country yeah but this escape
5:22
plan wouldn't last long right
5:24
authorities acted swiftly yeah they did
5:26
and were able to arrest him in Panama
5:29
wow just before he boarded his flight to
5:31
Istanbul that's right that's incredible
5:34
but even when confronted yeah John came
5:37
up with a shocking story okay he claimed
5:40
the Medellin cartel was responsible for
5:43
valentina's murder
5:45
whoa and that they were threatening him
5:47
too the Medellin cartel yeah it's a bold
5:50
claim blaming one of the most notorious
5:53
criminal organizations in the world
5:55
right do you think there's any truth to
5:57
that well it's certainly a dramatic
5:58
twist yeah yeah and it raises serious
6:00
questions about his credibility right
6:03
authorities of course didn't buy it and
6:05
he was officially charged with
6:06
aggravated femicide okay which for those
6:09
unfamiliar with Colombian law is a
6:11
specific charge applied when a woman is
6:14
killed due to her gender okay it often
6:16
involves elements of Cruelty or a
6:19
history of domestic violence right he
6:21
was also charged with concealment and
6:23
tampering with evidence and speaking of
6:25
evidence yes let's not forget that
6:28
scratch on his face right clearly
6:29
visible in his mug shot yeah that seems
6:32
like it could be a significant piece of
6:34
the puzzle absolutely yeah it suggests
6:36
there may have been a struggle right
6:39
though as with any piece of evidence MH
6:42
it needs to be carefully examined yeah
6:44
and placed within the context of the
6:46
entire investigation of course but
6:48
before we dive into the evidence okay
6:50
let's hear from those who knew Valentina
6:51
best you're right let's shift our Focus
6:54
to valentina's friends and family okay
6:57
they were obviously devastated by her
6:59
death of course but some of them also
7:01
had crucial insights into John's
7:03
Behavior one of valentina's friends
7:05
Veronica gimenez okay told the media
7:08
that Jon was incredibly jealous okay and
7:11
controlling he was reportedly Furious
7:14
that Valentina wouldn't go public with
7:16
their relationship on social media oh
7:18
wow she explained to him that her social
7:20
media presence was for her work as a DJ
7:23
right but he didn't seem to accept it
7:25
that does seem to fit with what we've
7:26
heard about his potential for
7:28
controlling Behavior exactly and
7:30
valentina's mother yes Laura hgo Laura
7:33
hgo also described John as jealous and
7:37
possessive wow this is painting a rather
7:39
disturbing picture of John yeah and then
7:42
there's the chilling detail okay that he
7:45
actually hired a private investigator to
7:48
follow Valentina that's right that's
7:50
intense and if you think about it yeah
7:52
that action alone speaks volumes right
7:56
it suggests a deep-seated distrust yeah
7:58
and a need to monitor her every move so
8:01
we're starting to see a pattern of
8:03
jealousy control and potentially even
8:06
aggression from John yeah but how does
8:09
all this connect to the legal
8:10
proceedings what happened when jck
8:12
appeared in court well his first court
8:14
appearance was a chaotic 5-hour hearing
8:18
wow five hours plagued with
8:20
interruptions oh my gosh due to
8:22
translation issues wow that must have
8:24
been intense it was yeah and during this
8:27
hearing mhm John initially declined a
8:30
public defender okay claiming his
8:32
parents had secured a lawyer form okay
8:34
he also complained that he had been
8:35
denied legal representation in Panama
8:38
and expressed concerns for his safety in
8:40
the bogat jail okay because of the
8:43
high-profile nature of the case it
8:45
sounds like he was training to use every
8:47
tactic to assert his rights and delay
8:50
the proceedings that's one way to
8:51
interpret it yeah he even went so far as
8:54
to demand additional security wow
8:57
arguing that he was a Target because of
8:58
the case's notoriety so a chaotic first
9:02
appearance a web of conflicting accounts
9:05
and mounting evidence against John right
9:08
what happened at the next hearing did
9:10
Things become any clearer well yeah okay
9:13
at the second hearing the prosecution
9:15
started to lay out their case Okay in
9:18
more detail and this is where the story
9:20
takes a truly Dark Turn okay what did
9:22
they reveal they allege that
9:25
John killed Valentina in a fit of rage m
9:29
after forcing her to have sex oh wow
9:32
their theory is that he repeatedly
9:33
struck her okay and ultimately strangled
9:36
her to death gosh it's a horrific
9:38
scenario yeah and the prosecutor's
9:40
argument M about a cycle of
9:42
psychological violence right jealousy
9:44
and control leading up to the murder
9:46
right is consistent with what we've
9:48
already learned about John it's chilling
9:50
to think that someone could be capable
9:52
of such brutality right and the
9:54
potential sentences he faces are
9:56
significant right absolutely if
9:58
convicted of murder yeah he can be
10:00
sentenced to 500 to 600 months wow in
10:03
prison he could also face up to 48
10:05
months okay for evidence tampering
10:07
however yeah the prosecution did offer a
10:09
plea deal okay that would reduce his
10:11
sentence if he confessed to femicide so
10:14
it seems like the case was moving
10:15
forward yeah but then things took
10:18
another unexpected turn what happened
10:21
well the case has been plagued with
10:23
procedural issues okay the official
10:25
translator had to resign oh due to her
10:28
poor English skills oh wow and John then
10:31
claimed that his due process rights were
10:34
being violated okay because of the
10:36
language barrier right to make matters
10:38
worse uhhuh his original defense lawyer
10:40
resigned after receiving death threats
10:44
wow the drama just keeps unfolding so
10:47
where does that case stand now John has
10:49
been assigned a new defense lawyer okay
10:52
Han manuell F Juan manala the judge has
10:55
emphasized that the court is committed
10:57
to ensuring John receives Fair legal
11:01
representation however new evidence has
11:03
also come to light okay adding another
11:05
layer of complexity to this already
11:07
intricate case okay this is where it
11:09
gets really intriguing yeah what kind of
11:11
new evidence are we talking about
11:12
remember how John claimed he had rented
11:14
an apartment yeah to start his new life
11:16
with Valentina well it turns out that
11:18
apartment was actually an Airbnb wait so
11:21
he wasn't even renting a place long term
11:24
right that seems even more suspicious
11:26
now yeah especially considering he only
11:28
planned a short trip exactly and here's
11:30
another twist okay um we now know that
11:34
John arrived in bogot from Atlanta M
11:36
just 72 hours before the murder okay and
11:39
as soon as he landed yeah he asked a
11:42
taxi driver to help him find tusi okay
11:45
which is slang for pink cocaine okay so
11:48
he lands in a new city supposedly about
11:50
to start a new like with his girlfriend
11:53
right and his priority is scoring drugs
11:56
yeah think about it if you were in that
11:58
situation mhm would that be your first
12:00
move something doesn't add up here it
12:03
definitely raises questions about his
12:04
state of mind and his intentions yeah
12:06
and the security footage from the Airbnb
12:09
okay adds another layer to this puzzle
12:11
on Sunday morning mhm just hours after
12:13
returning from the club yeah John has
12:15
seen leaving the apartment with two
12:17
black bags okay believed to belong to
12:19
Valentina so he's leaving the apartment
12:21
with her bags but she's not with him
12:24
this is getting chilling yeah where
12:26
could she have been right then less Le
12:29
than an hour later yeah he's seen
12:31
returning to the apartment with a
12:32
shopping cart oh my God and guess what's
12:35
in the shopping cart the blue suitcase
12:39
no partly covered with a gray blanket
12:41
it's like watching a nightmare unfold in
12:43
front of our eyes yeah and given the
12:45
previous discovery of her body we can
12:48
only assume the gray blanket right was
12:51
covering valentina's face yeah because
12:53
her entire body couldn't fit in the
12:56
suitcase it's just horrifying it's a
12:58
gruesome detail that speaks to the
12:59
calculated nature of his actions and
13:02
remember that black duct tape used to
13:04
seal the suitcase right well when John
13:06
was arrested yeah they found a used role
13:10
of the same type of black tape oh wow in
13:12
his luggage so not only is there video
13:15
evidence of him transporting the
13:16
suitcase right but there's also matching
13:18
tape yep it's hard to imagine a more
13:21
damning piece of evidence the evidence
13:23
is certainly mounting against him and it
13:25
gets even more compelling okay
13:27
authorities believe Jon threw threw
13:29
valentina's phone into a grassy field
13:32
near the airport okay they think he was
13:34
trying to get rid of any evidence that
13:36
could link him to her but they recovered
13:38
it right yes they did how did they even
13:41
find it it was actually a stroke of
13:43
luck imagine this okay a man searching
13:46
for his missing car documents okay
13:49
stumbles upon the phone wow he
13:51
recognized Valentina from photos he had
13:54
seen in the media oh wow and handed it
13:57
over to the authorities that's
13:58
incredible what a lucky break for the
14:01
investigation yeah it's almost like fate
14:03
intervened to help bring the truth to
14:04
light you could say that wow and along
14:07
with the black tape they found a
14:08
boarding pass to Istanbul okay three USB
14:12
drives and an iPad in John's possession
14:14
when he was arrested wow this digital
14:17
evidence could be crucial yeah in
14:19
understanding what happened in the hours
14:20
leading up to valentina's death think
14:22
about all the information that could be
14:24
on those devices text messages emails
14:27
location data a whole digital trail that
14:29
could help piece together the events of
14:31
that night exactly and there's one more
14:33
detail okay about the Airbnb that's
14:35
really significant yeah John had only
14:37
rented it for three days three days
14:39
three days but he was talking about
14:41
moving to Columbia and starting a life
14:43
with Valentina right why such a short
14:46
trip yeah it seems he misled Valentina
14:49
and her family about his intentions
14:52
that's a key question M and it becomes
14:54
even more intriguing when you consider
14:56
the testimony of valentina's friend
14:58
Maria okay okay she revealed that
15:00
Valentina was actually In Love With
15:02
Another Man wait so there was another
15:04
man in the picture yes this just keeps
15:06
getting more complicated who is this
15:08
other man she referred to him as
15:09
Santiago Luna okay according to Maria
15:12
they had a normal relationship right but
15:15
Valentina was deeply in love with
15:17
Santiago wow this adds a whole new
15:20
dimension to the case doesn't it it
15:21
definitely does and remember how John
15:23
claimed the mellan cartel was after him
15:26
well Maria also revealed that John went
15:28
by the name the man of the magic okay
15:32
hold on the man of the magic on webcam
15:35
sites was he some kind of online
15:37
performer what was he doing on these
15:39
webcam sites we don't know for sure but
15:42
it's another intriguing detail yeah that
15:45
adds to the Mysteries surrounding John
15:46
POA and then there's the financial
15:48
aspect of the relationship to consider
15:51
what do you mean the prosecution
15:52
revealed that John sent Valentina money
15:55
weekly okay and on one occasion when
15:58
Valentina was in Aruba yeah he
16:00
transferred $1,000 to her friend Maria's
16:03
account okay at valentina's request so
16:06
he was financially supporting her right
16:08
was this a sugar daddy situation or was
16:10
it something else it seems like their
16:11
relationship was more complex and
16:13
initially met the eye absolutely and
16:15
with all these conflicting accounts
16:18
hidden motives and new evidence emerging
16:21
it's clear that there's still much more
16:23
to uncover in this tragic case it's
16:26
mind-blowing how this case has evolved
16:28
from a seem ly straightforward murder
16:31
investigation into a story filled with
16:33
secret lives right online
16:37
aliases and potential love triangles
16:40
there are so many twists and turns it
16:42
just goes to show that things are rarely
16:44
as they seem mhm especially when you
16:46
start peeling back the layers of a case
16:48
like this right and while the evidence
16:50
against John pus is mounting right there
16:52
are still many unanswered questions
16:54
right like what really happened in that
16:57
Airbnb right what was 's true motive and
17:00
what role if any did Santiago Luna play
17:02
in valentina's life did JN even know
17:05
about him these are all questions that
17:07
the investigation will hopefully answer
17:09
in time yeah but for now we can only
17:11
speculate what are your thoughts on all
17:12
this I think what's most unsettling is
17:14
the way this case highlights okay the
17:16
darker side of human nature the jealousy
17:18
the control the potential for violence
17:21
that can lurk beneath the surface yeah
17:23
and it also raises important questions
17:25
about the dangers of online dating and
17:27
the importance of recognizing red flags
17:30
and relationships I agree it's a stark
17:33
reminder that we never truly know
17:35
someone right even those we think we're
17:37
closest to right and in the age of
17:40
social media and online dating yeah it's
17:42
easier than ever to create a false
17:45
Persona and hide our true intentions
17:48
yeah this case is a tragedy on so many
17:51
levels a young woman yeah full of life
17:53
was brutally taken from her family and
17:55
friends and it serves as a wakeup call
17:58
for all of us us to be more Vigilant to
18:00
trust our instincts and to prioritize
18:02
our safety and well-being right in all
18:05
our relationships well said yeah and as
18:07
this case continues to unfold yeah we'll
18:09
be sure to keep you updated on any new
18:11
developments yes we'll continue to
18:13
follow the story closely and bring you
18:14
the latest insights as they emerge
18:16
sounds good and in the meantime we
18:18
encourage you to stay informed okay
18:20
engage in thoughtful discussion and
18:23
never stop seeking the truth the truth
18:25
is out there you know as we wrap up our
18:28
Deep dive into this case there's one
18:30
more layer I think we need to examine
18:32
okay and that's the role of cultural
18:34
differences and language barriers it's
18:36
something that's come up throughout the
18:37
investigation and legal proceedings
18:39
absolutely yeah you know imagine
18:42
navigating a foreign legal system right
18:45
especially when facing such serious
18:48
charges yeah it adds another level of
18:51
complexity to an already challenging
18:53
situation yeah and we saw how
18:55
translation issues cause major
18:57
disruptions John's first court
18:59
appearance right and it makes you wonder
19:02
yeah how those kinds of
19:03
misunderstandings yeah could impact his
19:06
understanding right of the legal process
19:08
and his ability to defend himself it's a
19:10
really valid concern yeah and Beyond
19:13
just the Practical challenges right
19:15
think about the cultural nuan ISM
19:17
perceptions that might be at play here
19:18
absolutely like what's considered
19:20
standard legal practice in one country
19:22
could be perceived very differently in
19:24
another like how Jon seemed genuinely
19:26
surprised that he was denied access to a
19:28
lawyer in Panama right that might be
19:30
standard procedure there yeah but it
19:32
wasn't what he expected based on his
19:35
understanding of the American legal
19:36
system exactly and it just highlights
19:39
how those cultural differences yeah can
19:41
lead to confusion and frustration
19:44
particularly in high-stake situations
19:46
absolutely like this and then there's
19:48
the issue of media coverage both in
19:50
Columbia and internationally of course
19:52
um the way this case is being portrayed
19:54
right could have a significant impact on
19:56
the legal proceedings don't you think
19:59
absolutely media coverage can be
20:01
incredibly influential yeah in shaping
20:03
public opinion and in a case as
20:06
high-profile as this one yeah it's bound
20:09
to have an effect on how people perceive
20:12
JN and Valentina right and ultimately
20:14
how the case unfold we've already seen
20:16
how some media Outlets have legal John a
20:19
monster right and a controlling
20:21
boyfriend right that kind of narrative
20:24
even if it's based on some evidence can
20:27
be hard to shake it's true it creates
20:29
biases and makes it difficult for people
20:31
to kind of view him objectively those
20:34
labels yeah while perhap attention
20:36
grabbing yeah don't capture the full
20:38
complexity of a human being right or the
20:40
nuances of a relationship and on the
20:43
other side valentina's family and
20:45
friends are understandably Seeking
20:47
Justice for her death of course they
20:49
want to see Jon held accountable right
20:51
and that desire for justice can also
20:53
influence the narrative surrounding the
20:55
case absolutely so it's a really
20:57
delicate balance it is ensuring a fair
20:59
trial while also acknowledging the very
21:03
real pain and outrage felt by the
21:05
victim's loved ones and it's important
21:06
to remember that every legal case
21:09
involves real people yeah with complex
21:11
emotions and motivations there's rarely
21:14
a simple black and white answer right
21:16
and this case is no exception so as this
21:18
case continues to unfold right what are
21:21
the key factors we should be paying
21:22
attention to what will ultimately
21:25
determine Jon's fate well the evidence
21:27
is Paramount the prosecution has
21:29
presented a strong case so far with
21:32
security footage witness testimonies and
21:35
physical evidence linking John to
21:37
valentina's death right but the defense
21:40
will likely challenge right the validity
21:42
and interpretation of this evidence they
21:45
may try to raise doubts about the
21:47
timeline the motives and the reliability
21:49
of the witnesses right and what about
21:51
John's mental state could his lawyers
21:53
argue that he wasn't in control of his
21:55
actions or that he acted in self-defense
21:58
that's certainly a possibility yeah um
22:01
we know that he claimed the mellan
22:03
cartel was threatening him right but
22:05
that seems unlikely yeah um his lawyers
22:08
might explore other avenues to explain
22:10
his behavior okay such as temporary
22:12
insanity or diminished capacity argument
22:14
right um they might try to present him
22:16
as a man who is overwhelmed by grief
22:18
right stress or perhaps even influenced
22:21
by substances leading him to make
22:23
irrational decisions those would be
22:25
tough defenses to prove but in a case as
22:27
complex as this one I mean anything is
22:29
possible absolutely and of course we
22:31
can't forget the cultural and linguistic
22:34
context right how will the Colombian
22:36
legal system handled these complexities
22:39
especially given the international
22:40
attention this case has received that's
22:42
a critical question yeah you know the
22:44
judge has already emphasized the
22:47
importance of ensuring John receives a
22:48
fair trial right but navigating the
22:51
cultural and linguistic differences will
22:53
be challenging yeah for everyone
22:55
involved it'll require sensitivity
22:58
understanding yeah and a commitment to
23:00
due process it's a reminder that Justice
23:03
isn't always a straightforward process
23:05
that's a great way to put it there are
23:06
often more questions than answers yeah
23:09
and reaching a fair and just outcome can
23:11
be a long and Winding Road the Valentina
23:14
Tres palasio case is a tragedy yeah on
23:18
many levels it really is it's a stark
23:20
reminder of the darker side of human
23:22
nature the complexities of Intercultural
23:25
relationships and the challenges of
23:27
seeking just across borders it's a case
23:30
that raises important questions it does
23:32
like Online safety mhm relationship
23:35
Dynamics and the cultural lenses through
23:37
which we view the world it does and as
23:39
we conclude this deep dive okay we
23:42
encourage you to continue exploring
23:44
these questions yes to engage in
23:47
thoughtful discussions absolutely and to
23:49
remain curious about the complexities of
23:51
the world around us well said remember
23:54
there's always more to learn yes more to
23:57
understand and more to uncover cover so
23:59
keep asking questions yes keep seeking
24:02
knowledge okay and keep diving deep and
24:05
on that note we'll see you in the next
24:06
deep die sounds good
#Death & Tragedy
#Legal