Singer, El Taiger dead at 37 one week after being found shot in the head in Miami

El Taiger died Thursday, October 10, in a “senseless violent crime,” nearly a week after he was mysteriously discovered inside a car suffering from a gunshot wound to his forehead. He was 37. 

The Cuban Reggaeton singer, whose real name was Jose Manuel Carbajal Zaldivar, was found in the back of a Mercedes-Benz SUV with gallons of fuel in the gas tank just after 7 a.m. on Oct. 4 in Miami’s Allapattah neighborhood. 

“Jose Manuel Carbajal, known as “El Taiger,” was the victim of a senseless violent crime,” a post to his Instagram story read Thursday. “Sadly, this afternoon, El Taiger was pronounced dead and has now been reunited with his beloved mother in heaven.” 

The singer was rushed to nearby Jackson Memorial Hospital in “very critical condition,” according to Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales. 

“While this news is both shocking and heartbreaking, we encourage El Taiger’s fans to honor his memory by celebrating the joy he brought to so many fans. Turn up your music, dance and celebrate his life,” the post added. 

“El Taiger was the people’s sentiment and now we must keep that sentiment alive through his music and legacy.” 

Fans gathered at a makeshift memorial outside the hospital where they honked car horns and played some of the singer’s music together on Thursday. 

“He was my friend, and he was a singer,” Jonathan Esponda told WSVN. “He was big for our community, really big in our community.” 

“Really important for us, because his music, he made a change,” fan Daniel Andran told the outlet. 

Cops believe he may have been shot somewhere else and then dumped close to the hospital. 

“We are certain it did not happen on that corner where the car was found. This happened somewhere else, someone drove it there, left it and left on foot,” Miami police spokesman Mike Vega told Telemundo. 

Police said one man was being sought for questioning in the murder investigation.