ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO — Police say a 49-year-old man strangled and dismembered his 69-year-old mother, hid her remains in the freezer of their shared home, and continued living there for three weeks — even attempting to collect her income while pretending she was on vacation.
Leroy Felix Vallejos is charged with murder and tampering with evidence in the death of his mother, Ernestina Lucero, whose remains were found earlier this week inside the family’s Albuquerque home.
Authorities described the crime as one of the most disturbing domestic homicides they’ve ever encountered.
Mother Reported Missing After Weeks of Silence
According to police, Lucero’s relatives contacted authorities on October 23 after being unable to reach her for over a week. Investigators also learned that Vallejos had called his mother’s home health care provider demanding payment for her care — even though he hadn’t seen her in days…