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An Albuquerque, N.M., man has been arrested on charges of allegedly killing and dismembering his mother before placing her remains in a freezer, according to reports.
Court records show 49-year-old Leroy Vallejos was booked into the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center on Wednesday. He is charged with first-degree murder, battery, battery of a household member and tampering with evidence, and is being held under preventative detention.
The Albuquerque Police Department alleged that Vallejos admitted to an officer that he choked his 69-year-old mother, Ernestina Lucero, to death nearly three weeks ago, KRQE in Albuquerque reported.
Police said Vallejos claimed his mother was part of a “group of people giving their lives to darkness” who were conspiring against him.
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Police reportedly conducted a welfare check at Lucero’s home last Tuesday after Vallejos told a healthcare company his mother had been missing for about a week. He allegedly called the company to request payment for her care despite not having seen her.
During the welfare check, Vallejos let officers inside and told them his mother had gone to Mexico. But as they looked around, officers reportedly found Lucero’s prescriptions still in her bedroom.
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One officer allegedly found garbage bags inside a large freezer that were later determined to contain the remains of a female, the station reported.
The discovery led to another search of the home, where officers found a saw with what appeared to be dried blood stains under a sink.
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Before the welfare check, another family member reportedly told police Lucero was missing, prompting the department to issue a missing person bulletin on Oct. 23 and launch an investigation.
A preliminary investigation found that Vallejos allegedly withdrew money from his mother’s account, and her vehicle was reportedly sold before she was reported missing.
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The Albuquerque Police Department did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for additional information on the matter.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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