Did Edwin Valero try to kill his wife Jennifer Viera before?

When Venezuelan boxing champion Edwin Valero slayed his wife Jennifer Viera Sunday morning before killing himself the next day, it wasn’t the first time he attacked his wife. He was arrested on assault charges just a few weeks ago on March 25, 2010, after his wife had to be hospitalized for a collapsed lung, scratches and multiple bruises.

When Valero arrived at the hospital to see Jennifer his hostile behavior landed him in the custody of CICPC (The Body of Scientific, Penal, and Criminal Investigation.) Jennifer refused to press charges and backed up Valero’s story that she had fallen down a flight of stairs, and he was ordered to a stint in drug and alcohol rehab.

Valero’s mother, Eloiza Vivas, also backed up this story. She and Valero’s sister were allegedly assaulted by Valero in September 2009. At that time allegations of the assault were brought by their neighbor, who says he witnessed the abuse during a family dispute. Those charges were later dropped.