• Albuquerque man allegedly admitted to choking mother to death three weeks earlier
• Police discovered human remains stored in garbage bags inside home freezer
• Suspect charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (TDR) — An Albuquerque man has been charged with first-degree murder after allegedly killing and dismembering his 69-year-old mother, then storing her remains in a home freezer for nearly three weeks. The discovery came after family members reported the woman missing and police conducted a welfare check at the residence.

Leroy Vallejos, 49, was booked into the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center on Oct. 29 and is being held under preventative detention. He faces charges of first-degree murder, battery, battery of a household member and tampering with evidence in the death of Ernestina Lucero, according to court records.

Welfare check reveals grim discovery

Freedom-Loving Beachwear by Red Beach Nation - Save 10% With Code RVM10

The Albuquerque Police Department initiated an investigation after Vallejos allegedly called a healthcare company to request payment for his mother’s care despite claiming she had been missing for approximately one week. The suspicious request prompted authorities to conduct a welfare check at Lucero’s home near Rhode Island and Copper on Oct. 29.

When officers arrived, Vallejos initially told them his mother had traveled to Mexico. However, during their search of the residence, police found Lucero’s prescription medications still in her bedroom, contradicting his claim.

One officer discovered garbage bags inside a large freezer that were later determined to contain human remains. A subsequent thorough search of the home uncovered a saw with what appeared to be dried blood stains beneath a sink.

Suspect allegedly admitted to killing

According to court documents and reports from KRQE, Vallejos allegedly admitted to officers that he choked his mother to death approximately three weeks before the welfare check. During questioning, he claimed Lucero was part of a “group of people giving their lives to darkness” who were conspiring against him, according to police statements.

Financial irregularities preceded arrest

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE THE DUPREE REPORT

Before the welfare check, another family member had reported Lucero missing to authorities, prompting the department to issue a missing person bulletin on Oct. 23. A preliminary investigation revealed that Vallejos allegedly withdrew money from his mother’s bank account following her disappearance.

Additionally, Lucero’s vehicle was reportedly sold before she was reported missing, raising further suspicions among investigators about the circumstances surrounding her disappearance.

Legal proceedings underway

The Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office requested that Vallejos remain in custody pending trial, and defense attorneys agreed with that request, according to the district attorney. He is charged with an open count of murder, which allows prosecutors flexibility in determining the specific degree of murder charges as the case proceeds.

Both battery charges stem from alleged domestic violence incidents, while the tampering with evidence charge relates to the alleged concealment and dismemberment of Lucero’s remains.

The Albuquerque Police Department has not released additional details about the ongoing investigation. Authorities continue to examine evidence collected from the residence as they build their case against Vallejos.

Should welfare check protocols be expanded when elderly individuals are reported missing by family members?

Freedom-Loving Beachwear by Red Beach Nation - Save 10% With Code RVM10