HBO Max Premieres Docuseries on the 2006 Killing of Singer Valentín Elizalde

HBO Max has released a three-episode docuseries about the murder of Mexican singer Valentín Elizalde, which opened to viewers worldwide on Thursday, 12 November 2026. The series, titled The Killing of The Golden Rooster in English and Valentín: La muerte del Gallo de Oro in Spanish, is directed by Ida Cuellar, according to Billboard.

Elizalde was killed in the early hours of 25 November 2006 in Reynosa, a city in northern Mexico. The documentary focuses on the 72 hours before his death. Across its three episodes, it reconstructs those final hours.

The series does not present a single answer. It examines several theories about why the killing happened. These include a forbidden love, possible ties to organised crime, and betrayal from within Elizalde's own circle. Each theory is presented as a line of inquiry, not as a settled account.

Elizalde's family has not taken part in the programme. In a statement issued on 11 November 2026, Valentina Elizalde spoke on behalf of the family, including Camila Valencia. The statement said the family declined to comment on the programme because they had not participated in its production or reviewed its content.

For viewers unfamiliar with the case, the docuseries is a retelling built from the hours leading up to a single night. It is not a live investigation, and the family's statement makes clear that they were not involved in making it.

Documentaries about real deaths often return to the people who were closest to the events, and in this case the family has chosen to stay out of the project.

The series is available on HBO Max, which premiered it globally the same week.