A man in Colorado killed the mother of his children and then pushed her body around in a shopping cart for days before disposing of the remains in a garbage can, authorities say.

Thomas Perales, 38, has been charged with first-degree murder , tampering with a deceased human body, domestic violence as a habitual offender, and two counts of violation of a protection order, the 17th Judicial District Attorney's Office in Colorado announced .

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On Dec. 4, the Westminster Police Department said it was investigating a "suspicious" death near Willowbrook Park in Westminster, a northern suburb of Denver. Annette Valdez, 37, was identified as the victim, and a

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