The murder of William Blodgett
Roswell, Chaves County, New Mexico · 2008
Overview
William "Bill" Blodgett, 69, a landlord in Roswell, New Mexico, disappeared in late December 2008. His son reported him missing on January 3, 2009, after the family could not reach him for more than ten days. Police learned that Blodgett had had a dispute with his tenant, Tony Peralta, and had tried to evict him. Peralta was considered a suspect early on and was interviewed, but "no new leads" came of it. Searches of the home and neighborhood, including with a cadaver dog, found nothing; Blodgett's vehicle was still at the house and there had been no withdrawals from his bank account. The case was closed pending further leads and went cold. On May 1, 2023, Peralta, then 37, borrowed a phone at a convenience store, called 911 and said he had killed someone. He took officers to the house, where they removed plywood floorboards and found bones, a boot and a set of dentures. The dentures were compared with dental records obtained in 2009. Peralta was charged with first-degree murder and pleaded not guilty. In August 2023 he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and received a 15-year prison sentence.
How it was solved
No investigative breakthrough solved this case. A confession did. After the January 2009 missing person report, Roswell police interviewed the tenant, Tony Peralta, whom the Associated Press said was considered a suspect early on. They searched the house and neighborhood with a cadaver dog, found Blodgett's vehicle still parked at the home and no withdrawals from his bank account, and eventually wrote that all leads had been exhausted, in language CNN quoted from the criminal affidavit. On May 1, 2023, Peralta borrowed a phone at a store and called 911. Body camera video released after an Associated Press records request shows officers who were not sure he was telling the truth, because for much of the interview he said he did not know or did not remember details. He took them to the house and said there was a dead body in it. Under a search warrant, officers removed plywood floorboards and found many bones, a boot and a set of dentures. A police press release, quoted by Newsweek, said the dentures were compared with dental records obtained in 2009 and that, along with other information, led investigators to believe the remains were Blodgett's. Peralta's reasons are reported differently: no reason while high on methamphetamine, an argument over an eviction, a refusal to give him money, or a theft Blodgett had caught. Police told KRQE he could not offer a motive. He was charged with first-degree murder, pleaded not guilty at his May 30 arraignment, and in late August 2023 pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. KRQE reported a sentence of 15 years.
Sources
- Cops: Man borrows phone, admits to ex-landlord's '08 killing (May 2, 2023)
“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.”
- Roswell man confesses to 2008 murder, remains found under house (May 2, 2023)
“Blodgett was reported missing on Jan. 3, 2009, after he was last seen on Dec. 24, 2008.”
- New Mexico man confesses to landlord's 2008 killing out of guilt, police say (June 2, 2023)
“Authorities searched the home and the neighborhood, talking with neighbors and using a cadaver dog, but did not find anything. Blodgett’s vehicle was still parked at the home and there were no withdrawals from his bank account, the affidavit says.”
- 'Don't want to live life anymore without confessing': N.M. man confesses to killing landlord 15 years ago, police recordings show (June 3, 2023)
“Police said the case went cold after investigators exhausted all leads until Peralta’s 911 call.”
- Man Admits Murdering Landlord After 14 Years: 'I Don't Have an Excuse' (May 31, 2023)
“Plywood floorboards were removed and excavation was begun, resulting in the discovery of the buried human remains, including many bones and a set of dentures.”
- Guilty-ridden man confesses to 2008 killing of former landlord in New Mexico (May 31, 2023)
“Police in Roswell released the 911 recording and nearly an hour of officer body camera video in response to a records request filed by The Associated Press.”
- Roswell man sentenced after confessing to 2008 murder (August 29, 2023)
“Tony Peralta will serve a 15-year prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder last week.”
- William C. Blodgett Jr. (resolved case entry, updated September 3, 2023)
“Peralta led police to Blodgett's remains, which were buried under the floorboards in the missing man's own home in the 400 block of East Fifth Street.”