New Mexico Man Arrested for Murdering Mother, Dismembered Body Found in Freezer

Leroy Vallejos, a 49-year-old man from Albuquerque, New Mexico, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence after confessing to strangling his 69-year-old mother, Ernestina Lucero, about three weeks ago. The investigation began following a welfare check prompted by concerns from a home health care worker and a family member, and officers found Lucero's remains partially dismembered in garbage bags inside a freezer at her residence. Vallejos allegedly told police he believed his mother was part of a group involved in dark practices and claimed he was "promised to Satan" by her, providing a disturbing motive for the crime. Authorities also discovered a saw with dried bloodstains hidden under the sink during a secondary search. Despite Vallejos' claim that his mother had traveled to Mexico, the presence of her prescription medications at the home raised suspicions that led to his arrest. A detention hearing for Vallejos is scheduled for November 4.