Naman Shrestha
A&E’s ‘The Chicano Squad’ is a true crime docuseries that highlights the impressive achievements and successful investigations of the Chicano Squad, which consisted of bilingual cops dedicated to solving the rising crimes against the Latina community. Taking a look into several homicide cases, the show also sheds light on a few cases in a much more detailed manner, including that of Jones “The Ghost” Valencia. With the help of in-depth interviews with the family and friends of the alleged victims of Jones, ‘The Chicano Squad’ provides the viewers with insightful details of his cases.
Jones “The Ghost” Valencia Had Been Linked to Multiple Kidnapping and Murder Cases
Jones “The Ghost” Valencia was allegedly a core member of the Colombian drug cartel in the 1980s. He was known for being able to inexplicably disappear when the police zeroed in on him. Known for carrying hand grenades with him at all times, he was considered the top Colombian drug dealer in the Houston area at some point. In May 1986, Jones and Hugo Caicedo reportedly worked together in the kidnapping of another Colombian, William Sanchez, who was held at gunpoint until he told them where he had kept his stash of money and cocaine. After being found guilty of the crime sometime later, Jones was sentenced to two decades in prison and fined $10,000 as well.
According to reports, the Colombian drug lord used to be heavily armed at all times and had an interest in the occult. What made the police suspect his connection in several murders around the Houston area was that many of them involved some kind of witchcraft conducted on the dead bodies. Jones Valencia was not only linked to the shooting death of Alberto Bustamente but also wanted for questioning in the murder cases of Fanny Omelda and Otoniel Caicedo, both of whom were also suspected of dealing drugs.
However, the murder charges against him in the case of Alberto were dropped after Jairo Guzman pled guilty to killing him. The search for Jones escalated after the July 4, 1987, shooting death of Sugar Land police Sergeant Ronald D. Slockett, who was patroling by himself that night. A witness in prison claimed that Luis Rivera and Hugo Caicedo shot Ronald to death when he stopped their car. After the shooting, Jones Valencia took over the wheels and escaped the scene with them.
The Charge Against Jones “The Ghost” Valencia in the Murder Case of Ronald Slockett Were Dropped
Wanted for questioning for various crimes, Jones “The Ghost” Valencia managed to stay away from the clutches of the police for several months. However, the run came to an end in September 1987 as the police arrested the suspect and charged him with the drug-related murder of Alberto Bustamente, the son-in-law of a Colombian police official, while deeming him a suspect in numerous others, including Ronald Slockett. Although he was charged with the murder of Ronald later on, the charges against him were dropped due to lack of evidence.
Thanks to the Chicano Squad, a dedicated Latino task force that consisted of bilingual cops in Houston, the arrest of Jones Valencia was made possible, along with many other murder suspects. It appears he was released from prison after being convicted for some other minor charges. After he was released from jail, it is likely that he was extradited to Colombia. Today, if he is still alive, Jones must be in his mid-fifties, seemingly living somewhere in Central America, leading a private life and away from the prying eyes of the media.
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