Suspect In 2011 Buena Vista Murder Case Found Guilty Of Involuntary Manslaughter

Suspect In 2011 Buena Vista Murder Case Found Guilty Of Involuntary ManslaughterPhoto: eekim/Flickr
Amy Stephenson
Published on August 28, 2014
In 2011, a body was found partially burned in Buena Vista Park. It was discovered to be the body of Freddy Canul-Arguello (23). Weeks later, police arrested David Munoz Diaz, then 22, who allegedly lied several times to investigators throughout the course of the investigation. 

According to the testimony at the trial, Diaz and Canul-Arguello met in the Castro around 2am, and then walked to Buena Vista Park to have sex. Most of the case and the resultant reportage has centered around the sexual acts performed before Canul-Arguello's death, and you can read all about it over at SFist.  

The gist of it is that Canul-Arguello was into erotic asphyxiation, and according to Diaz's testimony, asked Diaz to choke him. At some point, while being choked, he stopped moving. Diaz says he tried to resuscitate him, with no luck, and eventually dumped his body into a recycling bin and lit it on fire (Diaz's public defender claimed that this was to signal for help). According to his testimony, he did not identify himself as the killer when firefighters arrived because he was frightened. His public defender stated that he had no motive to kill his friend, and no previous criminal history.

The prosecution's angle was that Canul-Arguello was killed in a fit of sexual rage, and the body burned to destroy evidence. 

After six days of deliberation, a jury this week acquitted Diaz of murder but found him guilty of involuntary manslaughter, arson, mutilation of the remains of a human being and destroying evidence, according to SF Appeal

We hope everyone affected can find some peace as this tragically sad story has played out.