Man accused in Colorado homicide was released from jail a week before his ex was killed, placed in trash can
12/19/2025 8:30 am PST
WESTMINSTER, Colo. (TCN) -- A man has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of his ex-girlfriend, who was killed a week after he was released from jail.
Police found the body of Colorado mother Annette Marie Valdez, 37, in a trash can on Dec. 4, KPLC reports.
Valdez’s ex-partner, Thomas Perales, 38, was arrested the next day and charged with first-degree murder in connection with her death, according to a press release from the district attorney’s office on Dec. 10. Perales was also charged with tampering with a deceased body, domestic violence, and two count of violation of a protection order.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by KPLC, Perales allegedly pushed Valdez’s body around in a shopping cart for several days, and he allegedly told a witness that he left her body by a creek.
KUSA reports members of the area’s homeless community said they saw Perales walking around with a cart with a body covered in blankets inside. According to family members, Perales has been homeless for the past two years, per KUSA.
After his arrest, Perales allegedly told detectives that he blacked out during a fight with Valdez at her home on Thanksgiving, and she became unresponsive after he put her in a headlock and put his hand over her mouth. He then allegedly got a trash can from an area supermarket and used it to remove the body from the apartment.
Family members of Valdez told KPLC they had spent years trying to protect her from Perales’ abuse. Her brother, Adam Larson, told the outlet he repeatedly tried to get Valdez away from Perales, but she continued to return to him, citing the fact that he was the father of her children.
Police records obtained by KPLC show Perales has a history of domestic violence and of violating the protection orders Valdez had filed against him. According to KUSA, police had responded to Valdez’s home 67 times in the last two years and nine of those calls involved domestic violence situations.
He had recently tried to break into Valdez’s apartment and caused property damage while Valdez and her three children were inside. He was subsequently arrested and jailed. On Nov. 21 he was released, and Valdez was reported missing a week later, KPLC reports.
KUSA reports Valdez’s children are staying with extended family.
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