A Colorado woman’s life ended in unimaginable horror, allegedly at the hands of the father of her children, just days after his release from jail. Annette Marie Valdez, a 37-year-old mother of three, vanished after Thanksgiving, leaving behind a chilling scene at her apartment – an unlocked door, abandoned belongings, and a growing sense of dread among her family.
The search for Valdez culminated in a gruesome discovery: her body found discarded inside a Westminster trash can on December 4th. Authorities quickly focused on Thomas Perales, a man with a documented history of violence and a pattern of violating protection orders filed by Valdez herself.
Perales, reportedly homeless for at least two years, confessed to investigators that a heated argument with Valdez escalated into a terrifying act of violence. He claimed to have “blacked out,” applying pressure to her mouth and neck until she was no longer breathing.
Panic seized him after realizing Valdez was dead. He then allegedly wrapped her body in a blanket and, using a shopping cart found near a Safeway, transported her remains for several days. Witnesses from the local homeless community recounted seeing him pushing the cart, a haunting image that has devastated Valdez’s family.
“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, shared, relaying information from those who had observed the disturbing scene. Perales, during questioning, chillingly asked investigators, “You know I killed my wife and paraded her around?”
The coroner’s preliminary assessment confirmed injuries to Valdez’s neck consistent with trauma sustained before her death, though decomposition complicated a more thorough examination. This tragedy unfolded despite numerous warnings and interventions by law enforcement.
Court records reveal a disturbing pattern of abuse and disregard for the law. Perales had been arrested on October 24th after Valdez, watching through her doorbell camera, witnessed him attempting to break down her door with a knife. The damage was significant, the camera and peephole deliberately obscured with red paint.
He was found nearby carrying a red paint marker and charged with domestic violence, violating a protection order, and criminal mischief. Just a month later, on November 21st, he was sentenced to probation and released. A mere week after his release, Valdez was last seen with him.
Larson expressed the family’s desperate attempts to shield Valdez from Perales. “We’ve tried so much to get her away from him,” he said, heartbroken. “Every single time she went right back, [saying] ‘That’s my kids’ father.’”
Police had been called to Valdez’s apartment a staggering 67 times in the past two years, responding to a range of incidents – from trespassing and unwanted guests to welfare checks and, crucially, nine reports of domestic violence. The system, it seems, had repeatedly failed to protect her.
Perales now faces charges of first-degree murder, tampering with a deceased human body, domestic violence, and two counts of violating a protection order. The case stands as a stark and tragic illustration of the devastating consequences of domestic violence and the urgent need for effective intervention and protection for victims.
