Drifter arrested in woman's death
Criminal Background Check
Posted 1:45 p.m. A drifter believed to have been panhandling in Albuquerque on May 2 has been arrested in the rape and strangulation death that day of a 70-year-old Albuquerque woman.
Bernalillo County sheriff's detectives today arrested Arturo Alvarado, 31, of Chamberino in the killing of Mary Padilla.
Authorities still aren't sure how Padilla, described by her family as a recluse, was lured from her South Valley home to the nearby vacant lot where her body was found.
They say Alvarado and two other homeless men were panhandling for money to buy liquor at the intersection of Bridge Boulevard and Sunset Road Southwest on May 2.
Padilla lived in an apartment complex at the intersection's southeast corner.
Family members, two of whom live at the same complex, became concerned when they found her door unlocked around 10 p.m.
They searched the area, and shortly after midnight found Padilla's naked, beaten body about 300 feet west of her apartment in a vacant lot on the southwest corner of the intersection. She'd been strangled to death.
Her pants were wrapped around her neck, her other clothes tossed near her body.
A homeless man, passed out across the street, offered clues when authorities interviewed him, according to a Metro Court complaint.
That man told investigators that he, Alvarado and another man had been "hustling" for money at Padilla's complex. He said all three had been staying at the Victory Outreach shelter, 905 Atrisco Drive S.W., about 2 miles away.
The man told detectives he saw Alvarado and the other man walk away before he passed out around 7 p.m. the night of Padilla's death, the court document said..
On May 9, detectives interviewed staff at the shelter.
The director said Alvarado and another man came to the shelter the night of Padilla's death, the document said. Alvarado had blood on him, the shelter director told investigators. The shelter director said he threw Alvarado out of the shelter.
On May 10, Jeff Liley, a Las Cruces lawyer, contacted investigators, saying he'd heard they were looking for his client, Alvarado.
Detectives asked Liley to set up an interview with Alvarado. Liley told authorities is client's DNA was on file, meaning Alvarado had spent time in prison. Authorities didn't have details on his record available at press time.
They said they matched that DNA to evidence left on Padilla's body.
"We want him to go to death row, no doubt," said Padilla's daughter, Beatrice Padilla. "Everybody's curious. We want answers, and we want justice."
Alvarado was taken into custody early today at a homeless shelter in Deming, near Chamberino. Detective Lawrence Tafoya said investigators are close to uncovering a motive but wouldn't release details today.
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