A Colorado man with a history of repeated offenses is facing allegations of murdering the mother of his children and transporting her body in a shopping cart for several days. This disturbing incident occurred just a week after his release from jail.

Thomas Perales, who is homeless and has a lengthy arrest record, is charged with the murder of Annette Marie Valdez. Her remains were discovered in a trash can in Westminster on December 4, as reported by 9NEWS.

According to the report, Perales had repeatedly violated a protection order filed against him by Valdez and was released from jail only a week prior to the alleged crime.

The 37-year-old mother of three disappeared the day after Thanksgiving. She failed to return to family celebrations, raising concern among her loved ones. When they visited her nearby apartment, they found the door unlocked, with her phone and shoes inside and her keys lying on the ground outside. This led them to alert the authorities.

Annette Marie Valdez was reported missing in Westminster, Colorado, on November 28, 2025, and was tragically found deceased on December 4. (GoFundMe)

Valdez’s body was discovered six days later inside a trash can, and authorities took Perales into custody the next day, 9NEWS reported. 

Fox News Digital was unable to immediately locate an attorney representing Perales. 

Perales told investigators he “blacked out” during an argument with Valdez and put his hand over her mouth while holding her in a headlock, according to an affidavit obtained by 9NEWS.

Thomas Perales was charged with first-degree murder, tampering with a deceased human body, domestic violence and two counts of violation of a protection order, according to the Adams County District Attorney’s Office. (Westminster Police Department)

When Perales realized Valdez was dead, he allegedly panicked and used a trash can he found behind a nearby Safeway to take Valdez’s blanket-wrapped body from the apartment, 9NEWS reported. 

Perales, who reportedly has been homeless for at least two years, then spent several days allegedly carrying Valdez’s body around the area. 

“They’ve said that he was pushing her around in a shopping cart to get her from place to place,” Valdez’s brother, Adam Larson, told 9NEWS, citing conversations he had with members of the local homeless community.

Thomas Perales had been released on probation after a domestic violence case two weeks before he allegedly murdered Annette Marie Valdez last month in Westminster, Colo., according to 9NEWS. (GoFundMe)

While speaking with investigators, Perales reportedly said, “You know I killed my wife and paraded her around?” 

The coroner later determined injuries to Valdez’s neck were consistent with trauma sustained before her death but added that decomposition to her body limited the preliminary assessment, according to 9NEWS.

Court records obtained by the outlet indicate Perales has a lengthy criminal history, including multiple domestic violence cases and numerous violations of protection orders issued on behalf of Valdez and the couple’s children.

On Oct. 24, Valdez reportedly called her mother “scared” as she watched Perales on a remote doorbell camera as he attempted to pry open her front door with a knife and kick it in. When officers responded, they noted that the door’s deadbolt was “so damaged they believed it was slightly ajar” and that the Ring camera and peephole had been covered with red paint. 

Perales was subsequently located nearby carrying a red paint marker and was arrested on charges of domestic violence, violation of a protection order, criminal mischief and obstructing a peace officer, according to 9NEWS. 

He was sentenced to 12 months of probation by an Adams County judge Nov. 21 and released from jail, according to 9NEWS.

Valdez was last seen with Perales one week later, and, within two weeks, she was dead, the outlet reported. 

“We’ve tried so much to get her away from him,” Larson told 9NEWS. “Every single time she went right back, [saying], ‘That’s my kids’ father.’”

However, the alleged October incident was not the first time police were reportedly called to Valdez’s residence. One police report indicated authorities were familiar with the unit due to “multiple recent domestic-violence related cases.” 

According to records obtained by 9NEWS, law enforcement officials responded to Valdez’s apartment 67 times over the last two years, with the calls varying in severity from trespassing and unwanted parties to welfare checks and protection order violations. Additionally, nine calls were made to report instances of domestic violence.

Perales was charged with first-degree murder, tampering with a deceased human body, domestic violence and two counts of violation of a protection order, according to the Adams County District Attorney’s Office.