Originally posted on January 26, 2025 @ 4:04 pm
Murder Under the Friday Night Lights Recap for A Cheerleader’s Reject
This week’s Murder Under the Friday Night Lights episode is titled A Cheerleader’s Reject. It follows the case of cheerleader Valerie Zavala Wilson, who was murdered on New Year’s Eve 2002 in Fillmore, California.
Video from the party she was at is shown as her friend Kimberly Romero talks about how the jocks and cheerleaders reunited after going away for college. Another friend named Anna Jinojosa also recalls the reunion and how the night was supposed to be one filled with fun, not tragedy.
Valerie’s sister Jessicca Myers said Valerie called her family at midnight to wish them a Happy New Year, none of them knowing this would be the last time they ever contacted her.
The next morning, Valerie failed to return home, so her mother called 911 to report her missing. Valerie’s mom would call her friends, wondering if anyone had seen her after the party. Nobody knew where she was and began to worry.
Later that morning, a 911 call reported seeing a body in a gutter. Authorities went to investigate, and it was soon discovered that it was Valerie. Her body was partially nude, and it was inferred that she hadn’t been there very long. She also had blood and bruises on her body and one of her earrings were missing.
An unusually large shoe print was also found at the scene of the crime.
Valerie carried no identification, but she had several tattoos on her body, which would help play a role in identifying her.
Valerie’s mom called the police again and was told to come in to the station. She, Jessicca and Valerie’s other siblings came in and talked to the police. They told them about the body they found, and they were able to come to the conclusion that it was indeed Valerie.
Jessicca, Anna and Kimberly talk about Valerie’s growing up years, their relationship with her and her love for cheerleading.
Those who were at the party were considered suspects in the murder. Anna and Kimberly recall that night and show pictures of the last time they were with Valerie.
Anna says that she drove them to the party, but Valerie drove her home because she’d had too much to drink. Another friend named Sammy Puebla asked for a ride home. He was a classmate who was a bit younger than them, but a popular football player and Homecoming King.
Anna recalls that Valerie dropped her off that night first since she was so sick. Valerie made sure she got in the house and then said goodbye before driving Sammy home in Anna’s car, which was later reported missing.
Sammy was now a suspect and questioned by the police. Afterward, he was still considered a person of interest.
Anna and Jessicca recall him being a funny, nice and well-liked guy. Nobody could believed that he was a suspect in Valerie’s murder.
Anna claims that going to meet with her ex-boyfriend Isaac Flores, with whom she had been talking to again. He was not at the party, but she had planned to go over to his place later that night. Enter suspect two.
Isaac was older than Valerie and her friends and very popular in school. There was a lot of jealousy involved in their relationship, which caused a lot of problems for them. However, Valerie believed that this time things were going to work out.
When he was questioned, Isaac claimed that he was home with friends that night and that Valerie never showed up as promised. He claimed that she called him and told him that she would be over after driving Sammy home, but never showed. Cell phone records and DNA were taken to confirm his alibi.
Nobody could believe that two football players were suspects and wondered if it could have been a random attack by someone else.
Anna’s car was found a few days later with Valerie’s clothes in it. There was no way to tell who drove it there, but it was close to Isaac’s house making him seem more suspicious. He was questioned again, but still a suspect, as was Sammy.
Police later found out that a burglary took place shortly before the murder….with the suspect being none other than Sammy Puebla. His darker side sends the investigation into a whole new direction.
Sammy is questioned again and this time seems very nervous. He also claimed that he and Valerie had sex that night. Police weren’t sure this happened and then when Sammy mentioned being cold, they grabbed his jacket….the very one he was seen wearing the night of Valerie’s murder.
The cops took his jacket in as evidence. He is now the prime suspect and Isaac is cleared. Everyone is in a state of shock after this turn of events.
Despite being a suspect, Sammy took on a big brother role for Jessicca and went out with friends. Everyone still believed that he was innocent.
The crime scene is investigated, as well as the jacket, connecting Sammy to the murder and leading to his arrest and a community left in shock.
He had killed Valerie for rejecting him and was found guilty for his murder, sentenced to life in prison.
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