ROSWELL, N.M. — 37-year-old Tony Ray Peralta of Roswell was arrested on May 1 after confessing to a murder that happened more than 14 years ago.
Peralta was booked into the Chaves County Detention Center around 1:00 a.m. on May 2. Peralta confessed that he had buried the body of the victim and police soon found the remains of the victim. Peralta called RPD to tell them about the murder and the victim was identified as 69-year-old William Blodgett.
Blodgett's son reported him as missing on January 3, 2009 after his family failed to get in contact with him since December 23, 2008. At the time, RPD identified Peralta was a possible suspect after learning from Blodgett's girlfriend that the two men got into an argument or fight. The dispute was over Peralta's status as a tenant in part of Blodgett's house and trying to get Peralta evicted. The investigation eventually stalled after all leads were exhausted.
Peralta made the call at the Allsup's Store at the corner of North Main Street on Monday and told 911 that he killed somebody. He was then taken in for questioning and later charged with first-degree murder.
RPD investigators obtained a search warrant for a house in the 400 block of East 5th Street where Peralta said he buried Blodgett's body. After ripping up plywood from the floor, human remains were discovered, which included body parts and a set of dentures. Peralta also told an RPD Detective that he carried out the murder by using a screwdriver, could not say a clear motive, and that he felt it was the time to confess.
We will continue to update this story as we receive more information.