Who is Steven Rios and where is he now?

HORROR befell a local community when a college student was found dead.

Ultimately, police apprehended the officer responsible for Jesse Valencia's murder.

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Who is Steven Rios?

Steven Rios is a former police officer-turned-prison inmate from Missouri.

Prior to his incarceration, he worked for the Columbia Police Department.

At the time of the late Jesse Valencia's homicide investigation, Rios was a married man with one son.

"It was one of the hardest things I had to go through, as a cop convicted of murder," the convict told KOMU.

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"It's hard for any person, let alone a husband and father to come to work one day and find their life totally changed.

"I think some of the sensationalized aspects of the trial muddied the waters.

"It didn't have anything to do with fairness or the truth, it had to do with a show."

As law enforcement proved Valencia's death further, they uncovered his secret affair with Rios.

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Where is Steven Rios now?

Rios remains imprisoned at the South Dakota State Penitentiary; he is serving a life sentence for Jesse Valencia's homicide.

On May 23, 2005, he was convicted of first-degree murder and the use of a weapon during commission.

However, his conviction was overturned and he was granted a second trial.

On January 15, 2009, Rios was convicted of second-degree murder and armed criminal action.

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This time, he received a life sentence for murder and an additional 23 years for the second charge.

Despite two guilty verdicts, Rios still maintains his innocence.

How can I watch Jesse Valencia's Dateline episode?

On February 24, 2023, Jesse Valencia's demise at the hands of Steven Rios is retold in an episode of Dateline NBC titled Before Daylight.

That Friday, Before Daylight is scheduled to be aired via the above-mentioned network at 9pm EST.

The episode features show anchor Keith Morrison as he collects testimonies from those who were close to the investigation.

Morrison even manages to interview Rios and gather his take on the trial procedure as he still insists he was innocent.

"Some people think I'm a killer. Some people think I'm not. You know, I know I'm not," Rios said to Morrison.

"A system that I supported and worked for makes mistakes but I still believe in it.

"I have a feeling that, you know, my life will turn out well and that I will be able to clear my name."

For those that miss the broadcast, there are a couple of streaming options available.

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Audiences that miss the initial airing can check out Valencia's episode via Hulu or Peacock.

Originally, the episode premiered on April 24, 2020.