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A national investigative television program plans to air a segment tonight about the evidence used to convict a former Columbia police officer of the June 2004 murder of Jesse Valencia, a 23-year-old MU student.
Court TV’s “Forensic Files” will run “Cop Out” at 8 p.m., analyzing how hairs and cells collected from Valencia’s body led to the June conviction of Steven Rios, according to the show’s Web site.
Rios was sentenced in July to life in prison without parole on charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action in Valencia’s killing. Valencia was found dead near his East Campus apartment, with his throat slit.
During Rios’ jury trial in May, a DNA criminalist testified that the hair samples matched Rios’ DNA profile — evidence the prosecution called the “smoking gun” linking Rios to the killing.
Rios testified in his trial that he and Valencia had a sexual relationship, about which he lied to his wife and police investigators.
Rios appealed his conviction in July.
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