In Colorado, a man is facing charges for allegedly killing the mother of his children and transporting her body in a shopping cart before discarding it in a trash bin. Thomas Perales, 38, has been charged with first-degree murder, tampering with a deceased human body, domestic violence, and violating protection orders by the 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
The incident came to light on December 4 when the Westminster Police Department initiated an investigation into a suspicious death near Willowbrook Park in Westminster, a suburb north of Denver. The victim, identified as 37-year-old Annette Valdez, was found dead in a park rubbish bin. It is suspected that she had been deceased for around six days before her body was found. Perales, who was the last person seen with Valdez and is her ex-partner and father of her children, was apprehended on December 5.
After Perales, who is homeless, told a witness that he had been moving Valdez around in a shopping cart before abandoning her near a creek, authorities discovered her body. Following his arrest, Perales admitted to killing Valdez and displaying her body, according to reports from The Mirror US.
The exact cause of Valdez’s death remains unknown. Her brother, Adam Larson, revealed that she had endured years of domestic abuse. Larson expressed his frustration, stating that despite numerous efforts to help his sister leave the abusive relationship, she kept returning because of their children.
According to authorities, the latest investigation into domestic violence began when Valdez alerted her mother to Perales’ suspicious behavior captured on a Ring camera. The accused had reportedly damaged the door, tampered with the camera, and tried to break into Valdez’s residence. Perales had been released from prison on November 21, leaving Valdez’s family feeling let down by the system and believing her death could have been prevented.
Analisa Larson, Adam Larson’s wife, criticized the lack of adequate resources for victims of domestic violence, emphasizing the challenges faced in enforcing protection orders effectively. A GoFundMe page has been set up to support Valdez’s family, highlighting the tragic loss due to domestic violence.