A chilling case has rocked Albuquerque, New Mexico. A 49-year-old man stands accused of brutally murdering and dismembering his elderly mother. Her remains were allegedly kept in a freezer.
Leroy Vallejos, 49, faces multiple serious charges. The charges include first-degree murder, battery, battery of a household member, and tampering with evidence. The arrest was made on November 5.
Discovery and Admission
The horrific discovery was made on October 28. Police arrived at the home of 69-year-old Ernestina Lucero for a welfare check. Vallejos initially told the officers his mother had gone to Mexico. He had also allegedly told her home health care company he expected to be paid, even claiming he hadn’t seen her in a week.
Officers then searched the residence. They found a freezer inside the home. The Office of the Medical Investigator confirmed it contained garbage bags holding human remains.
A relative had already reported Lucero missing on October 23.
Police Statement Details
The Albuquerque Police Department obtained a shocking confession. Vallejos reportedly told an officer that he had fatally choked his mother about three weeks prior to the discovery.
He allegedly claimed that his mother was involved in a conspiracy against him. He suggested she was aligned with a group of people who were “giving their lives to darkness.”
Vallejos is currently being held at the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center. The police investigation is active and ongoing.