ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE) – A Roswell man has confessed to killing another man over 14 years ago. 37-year-old Tony Ray Peralta called 911 on Monday, May 1, 2023, to confess to the murder of 69-year-old William Blodgett, who disappeared in 2008.
Blodgett was reported missing on Jan. 3, 2009, after he was last seen on Dec. 24, 2008. Peralta was initially a suspect in Blodgett’s disappearance but, after all leads were exhausted, the investigation stalled.
According to police, Peralta borrowed someone’s phone at an Allsup’s store to make his confession. Officers responded to the business and detained Peralta for questioning. He allegedly told police where he had buried Blodgett’s body; Roswell police got a search warrant and quickly found Blodgett’s remains. Later that night, Peralta was booked into the Chaves County Detention Center.
In the initial missing person investigation, it was revealed that Blodgett had gotten into an argument with Peralta, who was living as a tenant in part of Blodgett’s house. Blodgett had allegedly tried to evict Peralta.
With the recent warrant, police searched that house, in the 400 block of East Fifth Street, and found Blodgett’s body. Many bones, as well as a set of dentures, were found buried under the plywood floorboards of a room in the house.
According to detectives, Peralta said he carried out the murder using a screwdriver. Peralta allegedly “felt a need to confess” but could not offer a motive for his actions.
