Founder and Media Liaison for the Family:

Michael H. Baughman

928-246-4856

Events Preceding the Trial

(with Editorial Comments)

May 6, 2005: The Yuma County Sheriff's Office launched an investigation into the murder of Amancio Corrales, a female impersonator who was found brutally murdered and left floating in the Colorado River after spending the evening prior out at local bars.

May 6, 2005: Unaware to the Yuma community or law enforcement, the perpetrator flees to Guadalajara, Mexico, with the help of his mother, aunt and uncle.

May 27, 2005: "The Amancio Project" is created to address issues surrounding this brutal crime from public apathy to law enforcement response.

June 25, 2005: National and state officials representing government and community organizations joined local organizers and family members of Amancio Corrales to call for justice in his murder and raise awareness about the impact of hate crimes on the community.  More than 100 people participated in a vigil organized by the Amancio Project at Madison Street Park by the Colorado River, the same body of water where Corrales’ body was found after what local authorities say “lends itself” to be a hate crime. Yuma City and County officials were invited but refused to attend.

August 6, 2005: Prayer Vigil on the Arizona State Capitol Grounds attended by 100 people. Family, friends and representatives of Civil Rights Groups along with State Representatives spoke. Again, City and County representatives refused to attend.

November 10, 2005: Candlelight Graveside Memorial Service and Mass.

November 10, 2006: Graveside Memorial Service along with a Pink Balloon Release. Pink was Amancio’s favorite color.

May 17, 2006: The Sheriff and the family receive an anonymous letter containing details of the murder and who the suspect was.

May 23, 2007, at 1724 hours, investigators from the Yuma County Sheriff's Office arrest Ruben Soloria-Valenzuela, 23, of Yuma, as he was getting off work. The two year old case was considered a “Cold Case” by the Sheriff’s Department. Consistent efforts by The Amancio Project, led by organizer Michael H. Baughman, who worked tirelessly and consistently to keep the case in the public eye and offer comfort to the Corrales family are credited for the anonymous person coming forward.

May 31, 2007: Yuma County Grand Jury indicts Valenzuela for Reckless Manslaughter and Abandonment and or Concealing a body. The suspect was originally charged with second degree homicide. At the bail hearings, after a brief description of his extensive criminal history and because of the nature of the crime and the possibility of him being a flight risk, a Bond of One Million Dollars was levied. The Corrales family spoke compassionately about their loss.

July 10, 2007: Comprehensive Management Conference (CMC) held. Judge sets a date of August 7, 2007, for the Final Management Conference (FMC) at which time a trial date should be established. The Management Conferences are held by the judge to make sure all parties to the case are talking to each other and the legal process keeps moving forward as productively and speedily as possible.

August 7, 2007: Final Management Conference (FMC) held. Judge grants a continuance for the FMC. This is not unusual and is often used by the defense to delay a case.

October 4, 2007: Final Management Conference (FMC) again delayed to allow more time for the defense to prepare. The judge however appeared to be growing annoyed with the delays by the defense.

The Judge ordered a Status Hearing for October 25, 2007, at 8:30am and has set the Final Management Conference (FMC) for December 6, 2007. It is hoped the defenses delaying tactics will be brought to a halt and a trial date set.

October 25, 2007: Judge A. Gould not happy DNA testing which was to have been completed and presented today had not been done. The evidence was returned to the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office after only a preliminary analysis.

Neither the Prosecution nor the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office kept a close check on the status of the DNA tests and the fact it had not been thoroughly tested was not realized until a few days ago. The Prosecutor’s Office admirably took full responsibility for the mix-up although others were also responsible. The evidence has been returned to the testing facility for a complete analysis.

The Judge ordered the testing be done by November 27, 2007, and presented at the next Status Hearing to be held on that date. The defense made a motion the evidence be excluded because of this mix-up, however the Judge postponed ruling on the motion until the Status Hearing.

The Final Management Conference (FMC) is set for December 6, 2007, and a tentative Trial Date has been set for January 2, 2008.

December 6, 2007: The Final Management Conference (FMC) was held. The FMC was short and to the point. The Judge ordered February 12, 2008, for the Final Trial Management Conference (FTMC) at which trial details will be established. Jury selection should be short and the trial is scheduled to begin February 27, 2008.

The Amancio Project strongly urges everyone who has been touched by the death of Amancio, attend the trial to support the family and send a loud and clear message our GLBTQ Community will not tolerate an assault on one of our own. It is important we stand tall and strong together, setting a firm example for all of us that this crime will not be allowed to fade into obscurity. 

We will be setting a precedent and standard for victims of crimes affecting our community for years to come!

February 11, 2008: Late in the afternoon today, The Final Trial Management Conference (FTMC) was postponed. No new date has been scheduled. There will be a meeting next week to discuss the situation. We will keep you posted as soon as information becomes available.

February 14, 2008: SB 1483 and HB 2752 (Amancio Corrales Act) was introduced. This bill would add gender identity or expression to the existing hate crimes statute to allow law enforcement officials to prosecute anti-transgender and anti-gender variant crimes as hate crimes. The Bill is named after a gay man and gender performer who was murdered in Yuma in 2005 in an apparent bias-motivated attack based on his gender expression. The Amancio Project was formed to support the family and address the issues surrounding this brutal crime.

February 14, 2008: The Final Trial Management Conference (FTMC) is scheduled for July 16, 2008 and the Trial is set to begin August 6, 2008.

The FTMC and Trial were reset at the request of the defense citing an inability to gather the evidence to move forward at this time and scheduling conflicts.

The family and The Amancio Project are extremely dismayed at the continuing delays. During a discussion with the Court Appointed Victim’s Advocate today by telephone we expressed our frustration in the strongest terms possible. “While the victim does have a right to a speedy trial, the rights of the accused take precedent” said the Victim’s Advocate.

The suspect, Ruben Soloria-Valenzuela, has not made bond and is incarcerated in the Yuma County Jail facility.

February 25, 2008: Mrs. Corrales and I met with the Prosecutor and Court Appointed Advocate to express our frustration with recent delays and ask they be thoroughly explained. For Mrs. Corrales it was very emotional.

We are not at liberty at this time to divulge all the details, but one reason is that the delay is a result of court calendar conflicts as the Defense Attorney will be engaged with another trial whose events preceded the Amancio murder. The right to a speedy trial is afforded to all however the rights of the suspect supersede those of the victim at this point in the trial process. Another meeting is scheduled for March 31, 2008. 

While we are all frustrated with the arduous workings of the Court System, take comfort in the fact the suspect is still behind bars where he cannot inflict harm on the public. Take comfort too, Mrs. Corrales and I, after listening to the Prosecutor, are in agreement and comfortable with the decisions being made to move the Trial forward prudently and bring the murderer of Amancio to justice.

March 12, 2008: The Amancio Project is scheduled to be featured in an up-coming documentary by award winning film director T. Joe Murray ("Farm Family," "Fish Can't Fly," "Almost Myself," “Tell," and "A Portable Tribe," (premiering April 7th at the Sarasota Film Festival, Sarasota, FL.)).

The documentary will be spotlighting several groups across our Nation who have responded to suspected "hate crimes" within their individual communities. 

Our involvement will focus on the family, creation of The Amancio Project, local and state GLBT response, how law enforcement was perceived, media coverage in Yuma and throughout the state, local and state political response and how the Yuma community at large reacted.

This is a momentous step forward in bringing positive National attention to all the communities affected. For Yuma, The Amancio Project and The Yuma County Gay Rights Meetup, it is a demonstration of our commitment to support the victims, their families and secure and defend GLBT civil and human rights throughout Yuma County.

Filming and interviews will begin on March 31. Contact me directly for more information or if you have important information you believe should be considered.

March 30, 2008: A meeting with the prosecutor’s office to go over the details of the pending trial in the Corrales murder case has been postponed (originally scheduled for March 31) until April 21, 2008. To protect the legal rights of all concerned, we are not at liberty to disclose the specific details surrounding this latest delay.

It has been ten months since the arrest of a suspect in this case, and while the family and The Project find it frustrating, we support the Prosecutor’s office as the legal machinery slowly inches it way through the court process.

The Final Trial Management Conference (FTMC) is still scheduled for July 16, 2008 and the Trial is scheduled to begin August 6, 2008.

March 30, 2008: The Amancio Project’s segment of a Documentary spotlighting several groups across our Nation who have responded to suspected "hate crimes" within their individual communities began today. The Project founder took the director, Mr. Tom Murray and his camera and sound man Mr. Stu Maddux to various locations connected to the crime to get background material and establishing shots along with an interview at the gravesite. The documentary crew will be in town through Tuesday, April 1, 2008.

Our involvement is focusing on the family, creation of The Amancio Project, local and state GLBT response, how law enforcement was perceived, media coverage in Yuma and throughout the state, local and state political response (including details on how the city and county did not respond) and how the Yuma community at large reacted.

April 21, 2008: For the third time in a row, the meeting with the prosecutor’s office to go over the details of the pending trial in the Corrales murder case has been postponed. Unlike previous times no reason was given. The new date for this repeatedly re-scheduled conference in now set for May 5, 2008, nearly three years to the day since the brutal murder of Amancio Corrales.

It has been over eleven months since the arrest of a suspect in this case. The family and The Project are finding these delays unbearably frustrating. This delay is particularly bothersome as word of the postponement was not issued to the family until this morning (Mr. Baughman, the projects founder received his notice while driving to the meeting).

These last-minute cancellations only serve to victimize the family further as they prepare for what the Prosecutor has said will be “a very emotional and stressful” meeting. In addition, the family takes off work to attend these meetings scheduled by the prosecutor; as a result, in addition to the emotional burden inflicted and subsequent sudden let down, their income for the day is forfeited.

The Final Trial Management Conference (FTMC) is still scheduled for July 16, 2008 and the Trial is scheduled to begin August 6, 2008.

April 23, 2008: In a demonstration of unity and support for a victim of violence, the community is invited to an observance honoring the memory of Amancio Corrales, a young gay man brutally murdered in the early hours of May 6, 2005.

Date:       May 6, 2008

Time:       6:30pm to 7:30pm

Location:  Johnson Mortuary and Desert Lawn Memorial Park, 1415 S. First Avenue     (across from the street from the Yuma City Police Department)

The ceremony will feature singer Anne James, singing a song written by her especially for the occasion entitled “Amancio.” Lyrics to the song will be available as they speak eloquently of Amancio’s life and our responsibility as citizens to speak out against such violence.

It was shortly after the last anniversary celebration that a tip from a courageous citizen led to the arrest of a suspect. Founder of the Amancio Project, Michael H. Baughman will offer an overview of the court proceedings so far. A time-line of events leading us to this day will be available.

We apologize for the short notice, but for those of you who have been following events closely already know, the past few months have been complicated by legal delays and the filming of the documentary surrounding these events, “Gay American Heroes”.

April 28, 2008: The proposed documentary under the working title of “Gay American Heroes,” which was to feature four separate crimes against GLBT individuals, will now only feature The Amancio Project.

The Director, Mr. Tom Murray, after reviewing the film footage gathered during his recent visit to Yuma, and conferring with the films financial backers, made their decision just hours ago. They were so impressed by the story and the impact of those interviewed so far, it became apparent the principle of Gay American Heroes Project and The Amancio Project, will be better served as a “stand alone” production.

The film makers will be retuning to Yuma sometime next month for additional footage to “flesh out the story more,” said director Murray. “There are too many intriguing and important aspects to this story which need to be told.”

It is unclear at this time if a new title will be selected. The Amancio Project may be just the first in a series of documentaries dealing with “bias-based” (hate) crimes.

The Amancio Project is privileged to receive this recognition. It is a testament to all the hard work done by many to keep the murder and memory of Amancio Corrales in the hearts and minds of the public. Without continued public scrutiny, GLBT related crimes often go unnoticed.

May 5, 2008: After three delays, the family and victim’s advocates meet for three hours with the Yuma County Prosecutor to go over the details of the pending case evolving from the brutal murder of Amancio Corrales on May 6, 2005. The meeting was highly emotional with the family breaking down several times.

Because of the sensitive nature of the details discussed and the high level of confidentiality required at this point in the proceedings, The Project is understandably restricted as to how much information we are able to share at this time. We can lay to rest several points which still seem to be promulgated by individuals who do not have the access The Project does: 1. There were no U.S. Marines involved; 2. There was only one attacker and there is only one suspect; 3. There was no deliberate mutilation of the body, only the wounds sustained during the commission of the crime; 4. The suspect fled Arizona the following morning, making his way to Guadalajara, Mexico; and 5. The suspect returned to Arizona sometime later were he was arrested, jailed and plead guilty to domestic violence charges for which he served a short jail sentence.

The case presently contains over 1400 pages of information. The Yuma County Sheriff, the family and The Project are still seeking any further information regarding this case no mater how small you may think it is. If you have further information to share, please contact the Sheriff’s office at 783-4427. You may remain anonymous.

May 6, 2008: In a demonstration of unity and support for a victim of violence, the community was invited to an observance honoring the memory of Amancio Corrales, a young gay man brutally murdered in the early hours of May 6, 2005. The ceremony took place at the grave site of Amancio, located in Johnson Mortuary and Desert Lawn Memorial Park, 1415 S. First Avenue, at 6:30pm.

The ceremony featured singer Anne James, singing a song written by her especially for the occasion entitled “Amancio.” Lyrics to the song will be available as they speak eloquently of Amancio’s life and our responsibility as citizens to speak out against such violence.

It was shortly after the last anniversary celebration that a tip from a courageous citizen led to the arrest of a suspect. Founder of the Amancio Project, Michael H. Baughman will offer an overview of the court proceedings so far. A time-line of events leading us to this day will be available.

July 30, 2008: During a Status Hearing held today at the Yuma County Courthouse to discuss the strategy of the case, the family, myself and a court-appointed advocate learned from the Prosecutor the Final Trial Management Conference (FTMC) has been rescheduled for July 10, 2008, at 8:30am. The FTMC had been scheduled for July 16, 2008.

The trial is still on track to begin August 6, 2008, and the Prosecutor does not anticipate that date will change.

The FTMC is the final step before jury selection and trial. It is at the FTMC both the Prosecution and Defense inform the Presiding Judge they are or are not ready to proceed to trial. There is always a chance the FTMC could be postponed one more brief time, but it is not expected to change the trial date. The judge in the case is growing impatient with the many delays in this case.
 

July 10, 2008: At the beginning of the Final Trial Management Conference (FTMC) scheduled for today, a highly unusual turn of events occurred. Instead of the FTMC going forward, the defense and prosecution requested a delay in anticipation of a plea agreement. Both sides indicated there were close to a settlement.

It was obvious Judge Gould was not pleased with this unexpected occurrence and told both sides to settle this matter citing further delays are not fair to either the victims or the suspect. The Judge admonished the two attorneys reminding them he had taken great care to keep his calendar open for the expected trial date of August 6, 2008. To expedite things, Judge Gould set a Settlement Conference for July 29, 2008, at 1:30pm for the defense and prosecution to come to a meeting of the minds.

Two things will be ruled on at that time: 1. Documentary film maker Mr. T. Joe Murray made a formal request he be allowed to film the proceedings and trial as part of his Documentary “Amancio,” and 2. A satisfactory Plea Agreement is arrived at.

The Family and The Amancio Project are deeply disappointed with this sudden move by the two attorneys. If the suspect accepts the plea agreement or is found guilty at trial, he will be credited for time served. Because of the nature of the charge, Dangerous Nature Manslaughter, the suspect will be required to serve 85 percent of his sentence before being eligible for parole.

July 18, 2008: On Monday, July 21st, the family, the Prosecutor, the Victim’s Advocate, a Grief Counselor and I will be meeting to hear the plea agreement arrived at between the Prosecution and Defense. The details of the agreement have not been disclosed.

The Plea Agreement will be formally presented to the Judge on Tuesday, July 22, 2008, at 3:00pm. The family requests your support at this hearing. It is important our presence be visible. To date, no one from the GLBT community, other than myself, have been in attendance at the many hearings in this case since the arrest of the suspect. The Suspect always has relatives and friends in attendance. We are quite out-numbered.

Since a number of things could happen at the Settlement Hearing, it is best not to speculate at this time.

Regardless of the outcome of the Settlement Hearing, our next task will be to begin preparing the Victim’s Impact Statement. This is where the family may express the depth of their loss to the Judge in an effort to secure the maximum allowable sentence under the law.

July 22, 2008: A Plea Agreement arrived at between the Defense and Prosecution in the case of The State of Arizona vs. Ruben Soloria-Valenzuela. The agreement stipulated Valenzuela plead guilty to Attempted Manslaughter with aggravated circumstances. Valenzuela will also be required to pay restitution to the family in an amount not to exceed $50,000.00.

Valenzuela will receive a prison term of eight years and nine months. He will be credited for time served since his arrest on May 23, 2007. Under the Arizona Good Behavior Statute he will be required to serve 85% of his sentence before being eligible for parole.

The “aggravated circumstances” in the plea agreement are: 1. that a deadly weapon was used in the commission of the offense, and 2. Corrales’ death caused great emotional harm to his surviving family.

Sentencing will take place on August 21, 2008, at 8:30am in Judge Gould’s Courtroom. Prior to sentencing, The Victim’s Impact Statement will be presented by the family. The family encourages you to attend if possible to support the family.

After the agreement was read, Mrs. Corrales, Amancio’s mother, spoke in a passionate voice stating she did not agree with the plea agreement. She broke down in tears during her emotionally charged statement.
 

August 07, 2008: The Plea Agreement arrived at in the case of the State of Arizona vs. Ruben Solorio-Valenzuela, for the death of Amancio Corrales on May 6, 2005, will be formally accepted by Presiding Judge, the Honorable Andrew W. Gould, at 1:30pm, August 21, 2008, in his courtroom located on the third floor of the Yuma County Justice Center, 168 South Second Avenue, Yuma, Arizona 85364.

August 21, 2008: Presiding Judge of the Superior Court of Yuma County, the Honorable Andrew W. Gould accepts the Plea Agreement arrived at in the case of the State of Arizona vs. Ruben Solorio-Valenzuela, for the murder of Amancio Corrales on May 6, 2005. Valenzuela plead guilty to Attempted Manslaughter with Aggravated Circumstances, a felony. Valenzuela was sentenced to 8¾ years. Valenzuela will also be required to pay restitution to the family in an amount not to exceed $50,000.00. A monetary fine was also ordered by the court to cover administrative costs.