Where is Samuel Puebla now? Details explored ahead of Murder Under the Firday Night Lights on ID

The upcoming episode of Murder Under the Friday Night Lights is all set to cover the brutal murder of Valerie Zavala Wilson at the hands of Samuel Puebla, a young man who attempted to assault her and ended up killing her. The case sent shockwaves across the tight-knit community of Fillmore, California.

The third episode of the fourth season of Murder Under the Friday Night Lights will cover this case in detail when it airs at 9.00 PM EST on Wednesday, January 22, 2025. The synopsis for the episode reads:

"Former cheerleader Valerie Zavala is invited to a party with high school football players and cheerleaders; she is found dead; investigators collect home video from the party to find clues to identify her killer."

Samuel Puebla was eventually arrested and convicted of the crime, with the jury deciding he was guilty. He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

Ahead of the upcoming episode of Murder Under the Friday Night Lights, let us go over the details of the murder and Samuel Puebla's involvement in the same.

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What happened to Valerie Zavala Wilson and how was Samuel Puebla involved?

Valerie Zavala Wilson was a bright young woman who was a student at San Jose State University. With a bright future ahead of her and a personality that charmed everyone who met her, Valerie Zavala Wilson seemingly had everything perfectly aligned for her.

On New Year’s Eve 2002, Valerie went to a party with her friends. She left the party at around 8.30 PM that night and dropped off her friend, Anna, and the 17-year-old classmate of her sister, Samuel "Sammy" Puebla.

The next morning, a 911 caller reported that they had discovered a dead body in a roadside drainage culvert. The partially naked body was determined to be Valerie Zavala Wilson. Authorities soon discovered that she died of asphyxiation. She also suffered blunt force trauma and was also likely assaulted.

As investigators tried to piece together clues, they did suspect Samuel Puebla, who admitted that she dropped him home. Moreover, she was also supposed to meet her ex-boyfriend, Isaac Flores, who became a person of interest. Isaac later revealed that he was expecting her but she never showed up.

After going through another alleged suspect, the authorities turned back to Samuel Puebla. The authorities also learned that he was involved in a suspected robbery and he dumped the things in the dump yard of St. Francis of Assisi church.

With this knowledge, the authorities searched the same dump yard and allegedly discovered cypress clippings, women’s underwear, and an earring that seemed to resemble that of Valerie's.

In his home search, the authorities further discovered women’s underwear and cell phones. Authorities also found saliva on Valerie's body that matched Puebla's DNA. He later changed his story, claiming that he had kissed Valerie on that night. With the knowledge that she was going to see Isaac that very night, this story did not sit well with the authorities.

Moreover, his sneaker print matched the one found at the scene of the crime. With all evidence in place, he was arrested and charged with the murder.

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Where is Samuel Puebla now?

Sammy Puebla remains in prison as of now (Image via Pexels)

Samuel Puebla's arrest sent shockwaves across the community as he was a model student and a prom king. However, all the evidence was stacked against him, and when he went to trial, it was determined that he was behind the murder.

He was sentenced to life in prison for the crime and he remains incarcerated at Ironwood State Prison in California. He will reportedly be eligible for parole in February 2028.

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The upcoming episode of Murder Under the Friday Night Lights will cover this case in detail.