Police in Albuquerque, New Mexico, have arrested a 49-year-old man accused of killing and dismembering his mother before storing her remains in a freezer.
According to Fox News, the suspect, Leroy Vallejos, confessed to choking his 69-year-old mother, Ernestina Lucero, to death nearly three weeks ago. Court records show Vallejos was booked into the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center on Wednesday.
He faces multiple charges, including first-degree murder, tampering with evidence, battery, and domestic battery. Vallejos is being held without bail under preventive detention.
According to investigators, Vallejos told police his mother was part of “a group of people giving their lives to darkness” who were allegedly conspiring against him. Detectives described the crime scene as one of the most gruesome they have encountered this year.
The investigation began after Vallejos called a local healthcare company last Tuesday, claiming his mother had been missing for a week while still trying to collect payments for her care. Concerned staff reported the situation to authorities, prompting officers to carry out a welfare check at the family’s home.
When police arrived, Vallejos told them his mother had traveled to Mexico. However, officers quickly became suspicious after finding Lucero’s medication still in her bedroom. During the search, they discovered several garbage bags inside a large freezer. The bags, according to police, contained the remains of a woman later identified as Lucero.
Officers also found a saw with dried blood under a sink. Forensic teams have since collected the weapon and other evidence for laboratory testing.
Before the grisly discovery, another family member had reported Lucero missing, leading police to issue a public notice on October 23. Investigators later discovered that Vallejos had withdrawn money from his mother’s account and sold her car shortly before filing the missing-person claim.
The Albuquerque Police Department confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and that additional charges could follow as forensic results come in.
Authorities have not revealed a motive beyond Vallejos’s reported mental instability. The case has drawn widespread attention across New Mexico, reigniting discussions about elder abuse and mental-health intervention.
Lucero’s relatives described her as a “kind-hearted woman who dedicated her life to caring for her family.” They are calling for justice as prosecutors prepare to present the case to a grand jury in the coming weeks.