Diomedes Diaz Dies

Diaz was regarded as one of the best singer-songwriters of vallenato, a Colombian folk music style and won a Latin Grammy in 2010 for best vallenato album.

Diaz served jail time in 2002-’04 for the death of a fan and friend, Doris Adriana Nino, in 1997. Forensic experts claimed she died of a heart attack after a drug overdose at a party hosted by Diaz, but a later report said she was suffocated. Nino was found dead by the side of a highway in Tunja province.

Diaz, who was put under house arrest, originally fled and hid away in an area controlled by the infamous paramilitary leader know as Jorge 40.