Prosecutors: Brothers filmed, taunted victim's dead body

BY Brandi Kruse  on August 2, 2012 @ 12:25 pm (Updated: 1:35 pm - 8/3/12 )

vladez.jpg
Two teen brothers have been charged with what prosecutors call the brutal murder of 15-year- old Hector Hernandez-Valdez. (PHOTO: Facebook) | Zoom
A 14-year-old who is accused of helping his teen brother commit murder could be tried as an adult, the Pierce County Prosecutor's Office said Thursday.

The office also released information about new evidence in the case, which allegedly includes video of the defendants taunting the victim's dead body and a plan to kill a witness.

Brothers Luis Arroyo, 16, and Cristobal Arroyo, 14, have been charged with first degree murder in the death of 15- year-old Hector Hernandez-Valdez. Both have pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutors will charge the 16-year-old Arroyo as an adult in accordance with state law.

Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist has filed a legal brief, urging the court to treat the 14-year-old Arroyo as an adult as well.

"This is a brutal adult-sized crime that calls for adult- sized accountability," Lindquist said in a statement. "Justice and common sense calls for the defendants to be tried together as adults."

The brothers are accused of stabbing Hernandez-Valdez to death on June 1.

According to charging documents, their mother came home in the afternoon to find blood and a recycling bin in her living room. When she noticed towels and "reddish-brown" stains on the floor, her sons claimed to be cleaning up "chili" that they had spilled while making lunch.

When the mother went upstairs to find a boy's body lying on a sheet, she walked to a nearby police station to report the crime.

Meanwhile, police say the boys wrapped the victim's body in a blanket and placed it in a recycling bin in the alley behind the residence.

Prosecutors say the victim had come to the home to meet with the older defendant, who subsequently attacked him in an attempt to steal his marijuana and cash. While the elder of the two stabbed the victim with a knife, his younger brother attacked him with a "large nail" in the back and neck, according to prosecutors.

"The brothers then moved the victim into the bathtub to 'drain him,'" according to court documents. "The victim was still alive and making noises. One of the brothers cut his throat to kill him."

Investigators say the victim suffered more than 34 stab wounds, and the blade of a knife "appeared to be broken off in the victim's head."

A cell phone video uncovered by investigators, that prosecutors say was recorded by one of the brothers, allegedly depicts the Arroyos taunting the victim after his death. It shows the victim's body lying face down in the bathtub, according to prosecutors.

"The brothers' voices can be heard in the video, swearing at and taunting the lifeless body," according to prosecutors.

Based on a hand-written note found at the scene, prosecutors also believe the teens planned to kill a witness as well: their 7-year-old relative.

The note, according to prosecutors, included a series of check boxes labeled: "lay out bags, shut her up, hammer her bones, cutting off limbs, cutting off head, cutting open," and "done."

Brandi Kruse, KIRO Radio Reporter
Brandi Kruse is a reporter for KIRO Radio who is as spontaneous and adventurous in her free time as she is on the job. Brandi arrived at KIRO Radio in March 2011 and has already collected three regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her reporting.
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Comments (29)


  • Add A Comment

  • HockeyMom wrote...
    Sad
    August 2, 2012 12:52 pm
    Probably the hardest thing for a parent to have to turn in their own kids, but definitely good to see that their are those that will do so to keep these sick and dangerous kids from doing this again. I have kids close to that age and just cannot imagine what happened in these boys' life to think that murder is something you do so you can get a little extra weed and cash. Charge them both as adults!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • BmanM wrote...
    Sadly
    August 3, 2012 12:34 pm
    The hardest thing a parent to do is bury their child two worthless thugs killed!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • BmanM wrote...
    On second thought
    August 3, 2012 12:55 pm
    Now that I find out he was a drug dealing thug assicated with a gang, he got what he had coming to him!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Whidbeyboy wrote...
    Really?
    August 5, 2012 12:27 am
    So everyone that had pot in there pocket deserves death by being tortered and killed? Where are you from Red China? I guess 90% of the people I knew as a teenager should get the death penalty since most all got high as kids, though 90% of them now do not and are good people. But according to you they deserved to be killed? Your either an idiot, or just stupid.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • kanajune wrote...
    Sounds like budding sociopaths to me........
    August 2, 2012 1:30 pm
    Sorry to say, it's doubtful giving these bad apples a break by sending them to juvvy would do the slightest good. It's much more likely that they will go the route of the Tuba Man's killers. Protection of society is the #1 reason for the criminal justice system. Anything less that life in prison w/o ANY parole is just going to inflict eventual harm on society. The handwriting is on the wall about those two killers, and I commend the prosecutors in this case for taking the harder road. Sure, juvvy would get them out of our hair for the short term, but would that truly protect society? I doubt it sincerely.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Sean wrote...
    Filth!
    August 2, 2012 2:02 pm
    Throw away the GD key...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • RonJ wrote...
    I'm having
    August 2, 2012 3:56 pm
    a hard time fathoming how these young "kids" could be so brutal, callous and evil. Some things are beyond my comprehension.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • shark75 wrote...
    50 Cent taught them how to do it
    August 2, 2012 4:21 pm
    And I wouldn't be shocked if they picked up a few ideas playing Grand Theft Auto as well.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • nateyb24 wrote...
    ....
    August 2, 2012 6:10 pm
    I hope your being sarcastic.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Whidbeyboy wrote...
    Really?
    August 5, 2012 12:31 am
    I grew up with Dirty harry and Butch Cassidy and I never even thought of doing something this evil. Quit trying to blame anyone and everything but them. That's what the idiots of the world do, make all the scums "victims of society".
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ssbn629g wrote...
    Nature AND Nurture
    August 2, 2012 4:30 pm
    Regardless of mom turning them into police, their actions and lack of respect for life reflects on upbringing. Where's Dad?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • jstumbo wrote...
    Put them down...
    August 2, 2012 4:50 pm
    ... like the rabid animals they are.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • g33k wrote...
    2 words
    August 3, 2012 7:37 am
    public hanging.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • daddy 202 wrote...
    Public hanging
    August 4, 2012 5:13 pm
    I agree
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • BocaBob1 wrote...
    What can..
    August 3, 2012 8:07 am
    you really say. WOW human life has no meaning to them. I agree with alot of the poster's here. There nothing salvagable here. should be able to put them down. But I,m sure as tuba mans killers where set free this how they will be treated. Sad all the way around.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • fartforce1 wrote...
    I blame Republicans!
    August 3, 2012 9:43 am
    If weed was legal...no murder.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rick (4) wrote...
    @fartforce1
    August 3, 2012 10:16 am
    I blame the Democrats for not enforcing the immigration laws. If the current laws were enforced the illegal immigrant gangs would not be here pedalling their illegal drugs.

    I also blame the liberal democrats for not enforcing local drug laws and not helping the police do their jobs.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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