A tragic case in Westminster, Colorado, has sparked outrage over a repeat offender’s swift release from custody, only to be accused of a heinous crime against the mother of his children.
Thomas Perales, a homeless man with a long criminal record, faces charges of first-degree murder in the death of Annette Marie Valdez, whose body was found in a trash can on Dec. 4, as reported by Fox News.
Valdez, a 37-year-old mother of three, vanished the day after Thanksgiving, leaving her family in distress when they found her apartment door unlocked and her belongings abandoned. Her body was discovered six days later, and Perales was taken into custody the following day.
History of Violence and Broken Protections
Perales had a documented pattern of disregarding protection orders issued by Valdez, with court records showing multiple domestic violence incidents involving her and their children. Law enforcement had responded to her apartment 67 times in the past two years for issues ranging from trespassing to severe domestic disturbances.
Just weeks before the alleged murder, on Oct. 24, Valdez called her mother in fear as Perales attempted to force his way into her home with a knife. Police found the door’s deadbolt damaged and a Ring camera smeared with red paint, leading to his arrest on several charges.
Despite this alarming incident, an Adams County judge sentenced Perales to 12 months of probation on Nov. 21, releasing him from jail. Within a week, Valdez was last seen with him, and soon after, she was gone.
Disturbing Details of the Alleged Crime
Perales admitted to investigators that he “blacked out” during an argument with Valdez, claiming he held her in a headlock and covered her mouth. The coroner confirmed neck injuries consistent with trauma before her death, though decomposition hindered a full assessment.
After realizing she was dead, Perales allegedly panicked and used a trash can from behind a Safeway to move her body, wrapped in a blanket, from her apartment. For several days, he reportedly pushed her remains around the area in a shopping cart.
“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 with 9NEWS, relaying accounts from the local homeless community. If true, this paints a grim picture of a system that failed to intervene before tragedy struck.
Family’s Pain and Systemic Failures
“We've tried so much to get her away from him,” Larson told 9NEWS, revealing the family’s desperate efforts to protect Valdez. Her repeated returns to Perales, often citing him as the father of her children, highlight the complex web of dependency and danger in such cases.
The revolving door of justice seems to have played a role here, as Perales walked free less than two weeks before this horrific outcome. How many warning signs—67 police calls, violated orders, visible violence—does it take before the courts draw a hard line?
Perales now faces serious charges, including first-degree murder, tampering with a deceased human body, domestic violence, and additional counts of violating protection orders. Yet, the question lingers: could a tougher stance on repeat offenders have saved a mother’s life?
A Call for Accountability in Colorado
This case shines a harsh light on a judicial process that appears more focused on leniency than on protecting vulnerable citizens from known threats. Families like Valdez’s deserve better than a system that releases dangerous individuals back into the same volatile situations.
Annette Marie Valdez leaves behind three children and a grieving family who did everything they could to shield her from harm. Her story should serve as a wake-up call to prioritize victim safety over probationary gambles.
As Perales awaits trial, the broader issue remains—when will policymakers and judges stop rolling the dice with lives at stake? Colorado must reckon with whether its approach to repeat offenders is truly serving justice or merely inviting more heartbreak.
