Southwest
New Mexico man allegedly kills mother, stores dismembered remains in home freezer for weeks: Report
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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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Leroy Vallejos, 49, was booked into the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center on Oct. 29, 2025, after being charged with killing and dismembering his 69-year-old mother, according to court records. (Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center)
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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A general overall aerial view of the downtown Albuquerque skyline on Feb. 16, 2024 in Albuquerque, N.M. (Kirby Lee/Getty Images)
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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Leroy Vallejos, 49, was booked into the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center on Oct. 29, 2025, after being charged with killing and dismembering his 69-year-old mother, according to court records. (iStock)
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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Los Angeles, Ca
Boyle Heights warehouse cleanup begins as crews face 85 million pounds of spoiled food
Cleanup efforts are underway Thursday at the Boyle Heights cold-storage warehouse that burned for eight days after firefighters officially declared the massive blaze knocked down Wednesday evening. Los Angeles Fire Department crews remain at the Lineage warehouse near Union Pacific Avenue and South La Puente Street as they transition into the overhaul phase, searching for […]
A hospital needs help identifying a male patient who was found injured and unconscious in downtown Los Angeles.
The man is believed to be in his 30s, according to the Los Angeles General Medical Center.
He was found injured on the ground on Omar Street and has been hospitalized since June 22.
He stands 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 176 pounds. He has brown eyes, dark brown hair and tattoos across his upper body.
He did not have any personal belongings to help staff identify him or contact loved ones. Workers did not disclose the nature of his injuries.
Anyone who recognizes the man is asked to call clinical social worker Cesar Robles at 323-409-6885.
The public can also call the L.A. General Medical Center’s Department of Social Work at 323-409-5253 or, after hours from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m., call 323-409-6883. On weekends, call 323-409-5254.
Police are asking the public for help Wednesday in identifying a hit-and-run driver who left a woman badly injured in Long Beach late last month. The May 24 crash occurred around 11 p.m. as the victim was crossing East 2nd Street, according to the Long Beach Police Department. Video provided by police showed a dark-colored […]
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