ALBUQUERQUE, NM – The investigation into the death of a 69-year-old woman has uncovered disturbing details, as police say her son killed and dismembered her before hiding her remains in a freezer inside her Albuquerque home.

Authorities charged 49-year-old Leroy Felix Vallejos with multiple felonies including two counts of first-degree murder, several counts of battery, evidence tampering, and abuse of a resident leading to death, after the remains of his mother, Ernestina Lucero, were located in her home on Rhode Island Street NE last fall.

Concerns about Lucero’s whereabouts began in October 2025, when relatives and neighbors noticed she hadn’t been seen for some time. That same month, Vallejos contacted her home health care provider, reportedly stating that he hadn’t seen his mother for over a week but wanted her pay continued. The inconsistencies in his story raised further questions for those involved.

When law enforcement performed a welfare check, Vallejos allowed officers inside the residence but told them Lucero was on vacation in Mexico with her boyfriend. Investigators, however, quickly became suspicious when they found her medications untouched at the home, suggesting she hadn’t been away as claimed.

A closer inspection of the property led officers to a chest freezer, where they discovered black garbage bags hidden beneath frozen food. Inside, they found what appeared to be female human remains. Subsequent searches uncovered additional evidence, including bloodstains under the kitchen sink.

During questioning, Vallejos reportedly confessed to strangling Lucero several weeks earlier. In statements to police, he described feeling persecuted by his mother, referencing bizarre and paranoid beliefs, including accusations of witchcraft. Vallejos admitted to using an electric saw to dismember his mother’s body before storing it in the freezer.

Police documents indicate Vallejos expressed regret and conflicting emotions about the killing during interviews, at times claiming he had “snapped” during a confrontation, while also blaming his mother for his actions. In the aftermath, Vallejos told investigators he had considered turning himself in but hesitated because he was concerned about his pets.

Vallejos’s arrest followed the discovery of his mother’s remains, and police body camera footage captured the tense moments as officers confronted him and took him into custody.

Following his arrest, Vallejos underwent a court-ordered psychological evaluation. In December 2025, the court found him incompetent to stand trial, determining that he required mental health treatment before he could participate in the legal process.

He has since been committed to the New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute, where he will remain until doctors find he is able to understand court proceedings and assist in his defense.

The investigation continues as authorities review additional evidence and await future rulings on Vallejos’s competency. For now, the community is dealing with the aftermath of a case that has left neighbors and family members shaken.