'Pushing her around in a shopping cart': Man killed ex-girlfriend then 'paraded her around' before dumping her body in a trash can, police say

A antheral successful Colorado killed the parent of his children and past pushed her assemblage astir successful a buying cart for days earlier disposing of the remains successful a garbage can, authorities say.

Thomas Perales, 38, has been charged with first-degree murder, tampering with a deceased quality body, home unit arsenic a habitual offender, and 2 counts of usurpation of a extortion order, the 17th Judicial District Attorney's Office successful Colorado announced.

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On Dec. 4, the Westminster Police Department said it was investigating a "suspicious" decease adjacent Willowbrook Park successful Westminster, a bluish suburb of Denver. Annette Valdez, 37, was identified arsenic the victim, and authorities announced they were investigating her decease arsenic a homicide.

Valdez's assemblage was recovered successful a trash tin successful the park, according to section outlets specified arsenic CBS affiliate KMVT. They judge she died up to six days earlier her assemblage was found.

On Dec. 5, constabulary arrested Perales, reportedly the past idiosyncratic to beryllium seen with her. The suspect is Valdez's ex-boyfriend and the begetter of her children.

Perales, who was homeless, allegedly had been "pushing her astir successful a buying cart to get her from spot to place" earlier telling a witnesser helium near her by a creek, starring to the find of the body. The suspect allegedly told constabulary upon being arrested that helium killed Valdez and past "paraded her around."

It is unclear what the victim's origin of decease was.

Adam Larson, Valdez's brother, indicated his sister was the unfortunate of years of home abuse.

"We tried truthful overmuch to get her distant from him, and each azygous clip she went close backmost to him," helium told KMVT. "All she could accidental is, 'That's my kid's father.'"

"I had a feeling it was him," Larson added.

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The astir caller probe into home unit occurred aft Valdez called her parent arsenic she looked astatine Perales done a Ring camera, according to authorities. The suspect was reportedly trying to interruption into her apartment, damaging the door, and rubbing overgarment connected the camera.

Perales had conscionable been released from jailhouse connected Nov. 21, and Valdez's household saw her decease arsenic preventable and a effect of the strategy failing.

"She didn't person the resources that she needed to beryllium capable to consciousness that safety," Analisa Larson, Adam Larson's wife, told country Fox affiliate KDVR. "I deliberation they manus you a portion of insubstantial and say, 'here is simply a extortion order' … good what bash you bash with that erstwhile helium keeps coming back?"

Valdez is remembered in a GoFundMe arsenic having been "a beloved daughter, sister, mother, and friend, taken from america acold excessively soon owed to home violence."

"Our household is devastated beyond words, struggling to travel to presumption with this unimaginable tragedy," the fundraiser goes on. "Annette was a airy successful our lives—her kindness, laughter, and emotion touched everyone who knew her."