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A grieving family seeks answers after a man was discovered deceased inside an unlocked police vehicle, just days following his release from custody.
Eric Valencia’s lifeless body was found in the early hours of March 26, inside a patrol car belonging to the Azusa Police Department in California. The discovery was made by an employee preparing to wash the vehicle, who noticed the 37-year-old unresponsive in the back seat, as detailed by Police Chief Rocky Wenrick during a press briefing.
Shortly thereafter, personnel from the Los Angeles County Fire Department arrived at the scene and confirmed Valencia’s death.
“At this point in the investigation, there are no apparent signs of significant trauma on Mr. Valencia,” Wenrick stated. “Investigators have found that Mr. Valencia was reported missing to the Azusa Police Department just hours prior to his body being found.”
Why Was Eric Valencia Arrested?
Valencia had been taken into custody on March 20, facing charges related to driving under the influence and felony child endangerment. Wenrick noted that Valencia’s blood alcohol content was “more than twice the legal limit” during his arrest.
Wenrick assured, “Throughout his arrest and detention, no force was used against Mr. Valencia. While in custody, he received proper care, including three meals a day, and was monitored every 30 minutes for health and safety concerns.”
When the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office declined to prosecute the case pending toxicology reports, Wenrick said Valencia was released from custody at approximately 12:38 p.m. on March 23. At the time, he was allegedly showing “no apparent signs of distress” and was provided with additional food, the police chief said.
Valencia was seen on surveillance footage released by the department walking out the door and down the station steps. Although Wenrick said he lived just a mile south of the police station, he was seen walking northbound toward some parked patrol vehicles.
He was captured on surveillance video getting into the backseat of one the vehicles, which had been pulled from service for maintenance, at 12:39 p.m. He was never spotted leaving the vehicle, Wenrick said.
“Investigators also determined,” Wenrick added, “that Mr. Valencia had a functioning cell phone with him in the backseat of the patrol unit when he was discovered.”
Investigators were unable to find any evidence to suggest that he had tried to call 911.
It’s unclear how Valencia died. Senior public information specialist for The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner Kelly Vail told Oxygen via email that although an examination on the body has been completed the cause and manner of death had been deferred and was not able to be determined at this time.
“The deputy medical examiner requests additional testing and/or studies in order to make a determination,” Vail added. “Due to the ongoing death investigation, the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner cannot disclose what testing and/or studies were requested. Deferred cases can take a few months before a cause of death is determined.”
An investigation is underway to determine whether the police department’s policies and procedures were followed and, according to Wenrick, an independent firm has been hired to review the incident.
“We’re gonna do our best in the investigation to figure out why Mr. Valencia walked out and got in the vehicle,” he said, according to The Los Angeles Times. “Hopefully we’ll be able to provide closure to the family and for our own sake of knowing why that decision was made and why he did what he did.”
Police vehicles are not normally able to be unlocked from the back seat.
Valencia’s sister-in-law Julia McCormick told NBC 4 the family had been concerned for several days and had gone to the police department to try to file a missing persons report.
“Come to find out that he was here in a car the whole time. The whole time,” she said. “We want to know what happened. Please, please, we want answers.”
