American expatriate murdered in Mérida had sex with 17 year old boy just before he died, and threatened him

Self-defense alleged after decedent demanded anal sex


*Updated Feb. 15*
Mérida, Yucatán -
Shortly before he was stabbed to death early on the morning of Nov. 12, long time Mérida resident Sam Woodruff had sex with a 17 year old boy.

Woodruff was 63 the day he died. His assailant was born Dec. 3, 1994, according to a press report.

José Raymundo Xool Villamil was arrested by authorities and charged in the case last week. He told police that he was 18, and said the motive was the former Boonville, North Carolina man's request for sex. Suspect arrested in Mérida murder of American expatriate.

"I didn't want to go to bed with him," Xool advised the Public Ministry at this first appearance.

But now Yucatán officials have apparently determined from a check of records that Xool was only 17 at the time. He has prior arrests for drug sales, they said.

Xool gave this account of events during his court declaration, which a local news source published just minutes ago:

Woodruff summoned Xool to his Colonia Itzimná home on the evening of Nov. 11, ostensibly to work on a broken air conditioning unit. Once there he told Xool he wanted to perform oral sex on him, and the young man agreed.

Later Woodruff told Xool that he wanted to have anal sex, but the boy refused. Xool claims he tried to leave, but Woodruff became angry, grabbed a knife and threatened him. Xool managed to disarm the American, and stabbed him in self-defense during the struggle.

Woodruff died soon after at a local hospital from five wounds.

Xool is charged with robbery and first degree murder. He will be tried later this year. Because of his age at the time of the offense, Xool is asking that his case be transferred to juvenile court jurisdiction.

Prosecutors have not said whether Woodruff's sexual contact with the boy constituted criminal pedophilia under state law, or if might be a basis for reduction or dismissal of the charges.

Prosecutors disclosed last fall that Woodruff often patronized male prostitutes. He was HIV positive, according to the medical examiner's report, but it is unclear if Xool was aware of that fact.

Feb. 15 - Another peninsular news service covering the case today speculates that Xool may walk on the murder charge. Not just because he has a plausible argument of self-defense, but because prosecutors opened an adult homicide prosecution against him before ascertaining that he was still a juvenile when the events occurred. The entire case was thereby "legally contaminated," argues its report. MGR's view: All of the sordid details of this case would not have been released by public authorities unless they wanted to telegraph their own estimation of the case. Sympathy for Woodruff, to be sure, but tempered by the reality that he played with fire for a long time and eventually got burned. Something less than premeditated murder will be the outcome, especially given Xool's age and vulnerability to sexual victimization by a more powerfully situated foreigner. The law tends to disfavor decidedly uneven odds, even in serious criminal cases.

May 27, 2012 - "These men like their prostitutes cheap and desperate."
May 26, 2012 - Opinion: A revolting way to die – and to live

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