An Albuquerque man faces serious charges after allegedly murdering and dismembering his mother, then storing her remains in a freezer, as reported by local news sources.

According to court documents, 49-year-old Leroy Vallejos was taken into custody and placed in the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center this past Wednesday. He is facing charges of first-degree murder, battery, battery on a household member, and evidence tampering. Vallejos remains detained under preventative detention measures.

The Albuquerque Police Department reported that Vallejos confessed to an officer, admitting he strangled his 69-year-old mother, Ernestina Lucero, to death approximately three weeks prior, as covered by KRQE in Albuquerque.

Authorities stated that Vallejos claimed his mother was involved in a “group of people giving their lives to darkness,” whom he believed were plotting against him.

Records indicate that Leroy Vallejos was officially booked into the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center on October 29, 2025, on charges related to the brutal killing and dismemberment of his mother, aged 69.

Police reportedly conducted a welfare check at Lucero’s home last Tuesday after Vallejos told a healthcare company his mother had been missing for about a week. He allegedly called the company to request payment for her care despite not having seen her.

During the welfare check, Vallejos let officers inside and told them his mother had gone to Mexico. But as they looked around, officers reportedly found Lucero’s prescriptions still in her bedroom.

A general overall aerial view of the downtown Albuquerque skyline on Feb. 16, 2024 in Albuquerque, N.M. (Kirby Lee/Getty Images)

One officer allegedly found garbage bags inside a large freezer that were later determined to contain the remains of a female, the station reported.

The discovery led to another search of the home, where officers found a saw with what appeared to be dried blood stains under a sink.

Leroy Vallejos, 49, was booked into the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center on Oct. 29, 2025, after being charged with killing and dismembering his 69-year-old mother, according to court records.  (iStock)

Before the welfare check, another family member reportedly told police Lucero was missing, prompting the department to issue a missing person bulletin on Oct. 23 and launch an investigation.

A preliminary investigation found that Vallejos allegedly withdrew money from his mother’s account, and her vehicle was reportedly sold before she was reported missing.

The Albuquerque Police Department did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for additional information on the matter.

The investigation remains ongoing.