Authorities arrest two in connection with 2010 shooting death of Kansas college student

Two people were arrested Sunday in connection with the killing of a 19-year-old college student in 2010.

Kristopher Valadez and Candace Valadez, both 32, were arrested in Simpsonville, South Carolina. The arrests stem from the killing of 19-year-old German Clerici, whose body was found in Butler County more than 12 years ago, according to a news release from the Butler County Sheriff’s Office.

Clerici, who was a student at Cowley College, was reported missing on Feb. 1, 2010 by his mother after she had not heard from him for a few days. His body was found days later in a culvert in Butler County with a gunshot wound, the release said.

His car, a maroon 1990 Toyota Celica, was reported missing, then found in Wichita in June 2010.

Clerici was living in Wichita at the time of his death. Originally from Argentina, Clerici had lived in New Jersey with his mother before moving to Wichita, where his brother lived, Eagle archives show.

In 2021, Butler County Sheriff Monty Hughey said he had investigators take a another look at Clerici’s case after “information was discovered that prompted investigators to conduct follow-up interviews un-covering even more information along with new evidence,” the release read.

It’s unclear what that information is or what led Hughey and investigators to look into Clerici’s case years later. Hughey has yet to respond to The Eagle’s request for comment.

Kristopher Valadez and Candace Valadez are being held at the Greenville County Jail in South Carolina, and will be extradited to Sedgwick County to face charges. Both used to live in Wichita, the release said.

The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office and the Wichita Police Department assisted Butler County Sheriff’s Office investigators in the arrests.