He was one of three children, having two sisters. After high school, Valencia worked as a model. While at the university, Valencia studied pre-law and journalism; he also worked at the Campus Inn Motel.
Valencia is buried on the family farm in Perryville, Kentucky. Steven Arthur Rios born , a Columbia police officer regarded well by his division and with a wife and newborn baby at the time of the murder, was convicted of Valencia's murder in September His conviction was later overturned after a judge ruled hearsay was admitted into evidence during his first trial. A retrial led to Rios' conviction of second-degree murder and armed criminal action, resulting in another life imprisonment and an additional twenty-three-year sentence.
Valencia was openly gay at his college, which was supported by the people he loved, and he would date and have casual intimate relationships during his time in college. Rios was called to break up a party two months before Valencia's murder. Valencia was attending and opposed the raid, so Rios arrested him. After asking numerous personal questions of Valencia on the drive down to the station, Rios visited Valencia the next day and they subsequently began having sex.
Rios would continuously arrive unannounced at Valencia's living space without warning, where sexual exchanges would occur before Rios slipped away each time. One of Valencia's casual partners, Andy Schermerhorn, was present during one of the visits and coerced into participating in the sexual activities, with Valencia swearing him to silence.
Valencia spoke with his mother, Linda, about the extortion and described it as "stalking", yet he knew little to nothing about Rios, possibly including his name. As the charges weren't dropped, Valencia was ready to report Rios to his department, which he told his friend Joan Sheridan. Valencia left his shift at the motel, then made his way to a campus party. He drank at the party and was making his way back on foot, having called one of his partners, Ed McDevitt, on the night in question.
