In the early morning hours of a cold January day in Denver, Colorado, the life of 19-year-old Imanol Del Valle was tragically cut short. On January 17, 2021, police officers discovered the young man in the driver's seat of a Honda Accord at the intersection of Ellsworth Avenue and Newton Street. He had sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the back of his head, his chest, and his right arm. Rushed to a nearby hospital, he succumbed to his injuries.
The medical examiner would later rule his death a homicide.
Friends and family remembered Del Valle as a good friend, brother, and son who was just at the beginning of his life's journey. In the wake of the shooting, a GoFundMe campaign was established to assist his family with the unexpected funeral expenses, a testament to the community's support and the deep sense of loss felt by those who knew him. In the immediate aftermath, no arrests were made, and information about a potential suspect was not available to the public, leaving a painful void for his grieving loved ones.
The investigation into the violent death of Imanol Del Valle eventually led to a breakthrough. Prosecutors filed a criminal case against Edwin Josue Marentes in connection with the killing. The subsequent legal proceedings revealed the motive behind the fatal shooting was an attempted robbery. After a trial, a Denver jury deliberated for approximately four hours before reaching a verdict. On November 1, 2022, Edwin Josue Marentes was found guilty of murder in the first degree and murder in the second degree for his role in the death of Imanol Del Valle, bringing a measure of justice to a case that had brought so much sorrow.
