UNITED STATES NEWS

Cops: Man borrows phone, admits to ex-landlord’s 2008 murder

May 2, 2023, 3:15 PM | Updated: 5:20 pm

A New Mexico man, overwhelmed by guilt, borrowed a cellphone to call 911, confess to a 2008 murder case and tell police where his former landlord’s body was buried, authorities said Tuesday.

Police said Tony Ray Peralta, 37, of Roswell, was booked into the Chaves County jail on suspicion of murder.

They said Peralta went to a store Monday afternoon, borrowed a cellphone to call 911 and told a dispatcher that he had killed someone. Officers went to the store and Peralta was detained for questioning.

Police investigators then obtained a search warrant for a house where Peralta had been a tenant of 69-year-old William Blodgett. He told them where he buried the body, and they found a boot, bones and dentures after removing plywood floorboards from a detached room on the side of the house.

A tearful Peralta told police during an interview that he didn’t know why he had killed Blodgett and that he just needed to confess, according to an affidavit filed with the criminal complaint.

Peralta told police he decided to come forward because “his heart hurts” and that the killing had been eating at him. He told the officer to tell Blodgett’s family “that he was a good man and that he didn’t deserve what I did.”

“I don’t have an excuse,” he told police, according to the affidavit. “A lot of people have an excuse, I don’t have one.”

Peralta was being represented by the major crimes unit within the public defender’s office.

“We are just beginning to work with Mr. Peralta on this case, and we will make sure Mr. Peralta’s due process is respected as this case starts to move through the court,” said attorney Ray Conley, who leads the unit.

The dentures found at the property were compared with Blodgett’s dental records — obtained in early 2009 after he was reported missing — and that led to a positive identification, according to police.

Blodgett’s girlfriend and family had not seen him since late December 2008. She told police that Peralta, who was considered a suspect by police early on, allegedly had some sort or argument or fight with Blodgett, who had tried to evict him.

Authorities at the time had talked to Blodgett’s family, friends and neighbors and visited the home the two men shared, which appeared to have been abandoned with personal belongings still in place. Police found no immediate signs of foul play and Blodgett’s vehicle was still there, according to the original missing person report.

Detectives would periodically drive by the house but never spotted anyone. They also brought a dog trained to sniff for bodies to the property but found nothing.

Police said the case went cold after investigators exhausted all leads until Peralta’s 911 call.

___

Montoya Bryan reported from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Associated Press writers Walter Berry and Terry Tang contributed from Phoenix.

United States News

Kouri Richins, left, a Utah mother of three who authorities say fatally poisoned her husband, Eric ...

Associated Press

Jailhouse letter adds wrinkle in case of mom accused of killing husband, then writing kids’ book

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Jailhouse writings by a Utah mother accused of killing her husband, then writing a children’s book about death, have led prosecutors to accuse her of trying to tamper with witnesses, an allegation that her attorneys say is baseless. A relative of Kouri Richins meanwhile went public in an interview Friday […]

24 minutes ago

Associated Press

Jury convicts ex-NFL draft prospect of fatally shooting man at Mississippi casino

BILOXI, Miss. (AP) — A former NFL draft prospect has been found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison for shooting a man to death on the floor of a casino on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. Jurors deliberated for only 46 minutes Thursday before reaching a guilty verdict in the trial of Jereme […]

33 minutes ago

Associated Press

Guest lineups for the Sunday news shows

WASHINGTON (AP) — ABC’s “This Week” — Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg; Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio. __ NBC’s “Meet the Press” — Buttigieg; former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican presidential candidate; Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C. __ CBS’ “Face the Nation” — Olena Zelenska, first lady of Ukraine; Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz.; Rep. Tony Gonzales, […]

1 hour ago

FILE - Republican presidential candidates, from left, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former N...

Associated Press

3rd Republican presidential debate is set for Nov. 8 in Miami, with the strictest qualifications yet

The third Republican presidential debate will be held in Miami on Nov. 8, a day after several states hold off-year elections, and candidates will be facing the most stringent requirements yet to take part. Participating candidates must secure 4% of the vote in multiple polls and 70,000 unique donors to earn a spot on the […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press

Video of Elijah McClain’s stop by police shown as officers on trial in Black man’s death

BRIGHTON, Colo. (AP) — Elijah McClain’s mother left a Colorado courtroom in tears Friday after prosecutors showed video footage of the 23-year-old Black man pinned down by police officers during a fatal 2019 confrontation, which rose to prominence during nationwide protests over racial discrimination and excessive force in policing. Two officers from the Denver suburb […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press

Biologists in slow and steady race to help North America’s largest and rarest tortoise species

ENGLE, N.M. (AP) — While the average life span of North America’s largest and most rare tortoise species is unknown, biologists have said it could span upward of a century. So saving the endangered species is a long game — one that just got another nudge forward Friday as U.S. wildlife officials finalized an agreement […]

2 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Home moving relocation in Arizona 2023...

BMS Moving

Tips for making your move in Arizona easier

If you're moving to a new home in Arizona, use this to-do list to alleviate some stress and ensure a smoother transition to your new home.

...

Ignite Digital

How to unlock the power of digital marketing for Phoenix businesses

All businesses around the Valley hopes to maximize their ROI with current customers and secure a greater market share in the digital sphere.

Sanderson Ford...

Sanderson Ford

Sanderson Ford congratulates D-backs’ on drive to great first half of 2023

The Arizona Diamondbacks just completed a red-hot first half of the major league season, and Sanderson Ford wants to send its congratulations to the ballclub.

Cops: Man borrows phone, admits to ex-landlord’s 2008 murder