Jeremiah Valencia, 13, was found buried on the side of the road in New Mexico on Sunday
A teenage boy who was found buried in a grave on the side of the road near his New Mexico home spent his final days living in a dog kennel without food, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department said.
The body of 13-year-old Jeremiah Valencia was discovered Sunday buried along New Mexico State Road 503 near Nambe, two months after he was allegedly beaten to death by his mother’s boyfriend, Thomas Ferguson.
Ferguson, 42; the boy’s mother Tracy Pena, 35; and Ferguson’s 19-year-old son Jordan Nunez were arrested on Monday and charged with abuse of a child resulting in death, tampering with evidence, and conspiracy to commit tampering with evidence.
They are being held without bond.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Santa Fe County Sheriff Robert Garcia fought back tears as he described the horrendous abuse Valencia endured up until his death in November.
‘I can honestly say that this poor child suffered at the hands of a monster,’ Garcia said, according to KRQE.
Police believe Valencia was fatally beaten by his mother’s boyfriend, Thomas Ferguson, around Thanksgiving at their Nambe home
Valencia’s mother, Tracy Pena, and her boyfriend, Thomas Ferguson, were arrested in connection to his murder
Ferguson’s son, Jordan Nunez (center) was also arrested in connection to Valencia’s death. Pictured is the mugshots of Ferguson (left), Nunez and Pena (right) released by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department
Garcia said Valencia had allegedly been tortured for years by Ferguson. At the time of the abuse, the teen had been living at a home in Nambe, just north of Santa Fe, with Ferguson, Pena and Nunez. Valencia’s 13-year-old sister was also believed to have been staying at the home.
The District Attorney said Valencia was not enrolled in school. Investigators said he was beaten to severely that he had to use a cane to help him walk, KRQE reports.
Investigators said Valencia was forced to live in a dog kennel before he was fatally beaten
The child was also forced to live in dog kennel.
‘He was placed in a dog kennel for hours on end without food. It’s absolutely heartbreaking, these acts are senseless,’ District Attorney Marco Serna said.
Valencia went missing in mid-November, but his disappearance was not reported to authorities until Thursday when an inmate contacted them about a possible homicide.
According to KRQE, Pena, who was in jail for an unrelated case, told a fellow inmate that her son had been murdered in November. The inmate then told authorities, which sparked a search for the teen.
The search ended over the weekend when deputies discovered the body a few miles from the home he was living in. The body had been discarded in a plastic storage bin, according to Las Cruces Sun-News.
The body is now at the Office of the Medical Investigator to determine an exact cause of death.
According to KQRE, Nunez told authorities that around Thanksgiving he saw his dad hit Valencia and then take him out back. Police said the three suspects then buried the body.
Investigators were tipped off to Valencia’s (right) disappearance after his mother Tracy Pena (left) allegedly confessed to an inmate that her son had been murdered
Ferguson (left) and Pena (right) have been charged with abuse of a child resulting in death, tampering with evidence, and conspiracy to commit tampering with evidence
Investigators believe Ferguson got angry with Valencia and punched him several times in the face and stomach, KOB reports.
The sister, who was not identified, told investigators that she was told to lie about her brother’s whereabouts and tell people that he was staying with other family members.
‘It’s absolutely heartbreaking, these acts are senseless and these people will be brought to justice,’ Serna said.
Court documents reveal that Pena was investigated by the New Mexico Children Youth and Families Department in 2011. Valencia and his sister were both placed in the care of their grandparents, but were eventually released back to their mother.
It’s unknown when they started living with Pena, Ferguson and Nunez.
The District Attorney is requesting all three remain behind bars until the trial, and said additional charges could be filed as more evidence is collected.