Cuban reggaeton singer El Taiger, born Jose Manuel Carbajal Zaldivar, passed away Thursday, one week after he was discovered with a gunshot wound to the head inside a car in Miami. He was 37.
El Taiger was found on the morning of October 4 in the back of a Mercedes-Benz SUV in Miami’s Allapattah neighborhood. The vehicle had two gallons of gasoline in the tank, and authorities suspect he was shot elsewhere before being left in the area.
“Jose Manuel Carbajal, known as ‘El Taiger,’ tragically fell victim to senseless violence,” read a post on his Instagram Story. “He has been reunited with his beloved mother in heaven.”
WSVN
The artist was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital in critical condition, but despite efforts to save him, he succumbed to his injuries nearly a week later. Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales described the news as both “shocking and heartbreaking.”
Fans gathered outside the hospital to honor the reggaeton star, playing his music and creating a makeshift memorial. Jonathan Esponda, a friend of the singer, spoke to WSVN, saying, “He was big in our community.” Another fan, Daniel Andran, shared, “His music made a difference for us.”
Authorities are investigating the case, and Miami police are searching for 49-year-old Damian Valdez-Galloso for questioning in connection to the shooting. Police spokesperson Mike Vega confirmed the shooting likely occurred elsewhere before El Taiger was left at the scene.
El Taiger, who has over a 300 million streams on Spotify and over a million Instagram followers, had a troubled past. He was arrested in March 2023 for drug possession and armed robbery and faced additional charges, including assault, in July. He was out on bail when he was found critically wounded last week.
