19 January 2024
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A Simsponville, South Carolina, man was sentenced to prison in connection to the 2010 fatal shooting of 19-year-old German Clerici of Wichita.
The Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office said Kristopher Valadez, 33, was sentenced to 32 months in prison (2 years and 8 months). He pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, two counts of criminal threat and obstructing legal process or official duty on Dec. 1, 2023.
The shooting happened in 2010. Clerici’s mother reported him missing in February, telling police she had not heard from him for the last few days of January and said his car was missing as well.
An affidavit says a few days later, his body was found in a culvert east of Augusta in Butler County with what forensic scientists say was a gunshot wound to the face. He was identified by his driver’s license, which was in his wallet in his pocket.
Clerici’s car was found in Wichita on June 8, 2010. An investigation found the car had not been moved in months. Clerici’s personal property was still in the car.
Kristopher Valadez told officers he accidentally shot Clerici in the face. The affidavit says Valadez was sitting on an ottoman when Clarici was shot.
According to the affidavit, Kristopher Valadez said they were not going to call 911 because he had marijuana plants growing in the basement, and he was worried about police intervention.
Valadez said the shooting was accidental.
The death remained unsolved until Butler County Sheriff Monty Hughey had investigators take a fresh look at it last year. He says they discovered some new information, prompting more interviews and the discovery of new evidence.
Another defendant in the case, Candace Valadez, has a status hearing scheduled for Feb. 2. She is charged with aiding a felon.