A Westminster man, Thomas Perales, has been charged with first‑degree murder and related offenses after the body of 37‑year‑old Annette Marie Valdez was found in a trash can in a park on Dec. 4. Prosecutors say Valdez died between Nov. 28 and Dec. 4; Perales was arrested Dec. 5. Witnesses reported seeing a body wrapped in blankets and accounts say Perales was seen moving Valdez in a shopping cart. The investigation remains ongoing.
Colorado Man Charged With First‑Degree Murder After Woman's Body Is Found In Park Trash Can
Westminster PoliceThomas Perales
A Westminster, Colorado man has been charged with first‑degree murder after the body of 37‑year‑old Annette Marie Valdez — a mother of three — was discovered in a trash can in a city park. Authorities say the case involves additional alleged crimes, and investigators continue to probe the circumstances surrounding her death.
Charges and Arrest
The 17th Judicial District Attorney's Office says Thomas Perales faces counts of first‑degree murder, violation of a protection order/domestic violence, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence in connection with Valdez's death. Perales was arrested by Westminster police on Dec. 5.
Discovery And Timeline
Police found Valdez's body in a trash can in a Westminster park on Dec. 4. Prosecutors estimate she died sometime between Nov. 28 and Dec. 4. Local outlets reported that Valdez had been missing for several days prior to the discovery.
What Witnesses Reported
Investigators relied in part on witness statements. An affidavit cited by local media indicates multiple witnesses reported seeing a body wrapped in blankets being moved through the park area. Valdez's brother, Adam Larson, told reporters he heard accounts that Perales, who has been described in some reports as homeless, was seen transporting Valdez in a shopping cart.
"We've tried so much to get her away from him. Every single time she went right back [saying], 'That's my kids' father,'" Larson said in comments to local reporters.
Relationship And Context
Family members told reporters that Valdez and Perales were known to each other and had children together. Police records show Perales had been released from jail on Nov. 21, about two weeks before Valdez's body was found.
Ongoing Investigation
Authorities say the case remains under active investigation by the Westminster Police Department and the 17th Judicial District Attorney's Office. It was not immediately clear whether Perales has retained an attorney or entered a plea. Local reporting by 9News, CBS News, The Denver Post and Denver7 has been cited in official statements.
