Man Allegedly Murdered Wife Who Relatives Found ‘Dismembered and Disemboweled’ On Thanksgiving: Police

Two siblings who showed up at their brother and sister-in-law’s home in New Mexico expecting Thanksgiving dinner were shocked to discover a grisly murder scene instead.

On Nov. 24, Darin Denio went to the Albuquerque residence of his brother, Karlan Denio, and sister-in-law, Connie Denio, but found the home was locked and nobody seemed to be at home, the Albuquerque Journal reported.

A criminal complaint obtained by the outlet states the brother called his sister, Tami Pacheco. They then phoned 911 and requested a wellbeing check on the Denios but decided to take a door of its hinges and force their way into the home themselves when the emergency dispatcher told them officers would not be able to go inside.

Pacheco entered the couple’s bedroom and found 62-year-old Karlan Denio lying in bed and his wife dead. Police said Connie Denio was “dismembered and disemboweled” on the bedroom floor.

“Karlan looked at her, at which point [she] backed out of the residence and called police again,” the complaint states.

Police responding to the second 911 call detained Karlan Denio at the scene and later charged him with open murder in connection with his wife’s death. He was being treated at an area hospital for lacerations he suffered to his neck and arm, police said.

Two years ago, relatives told investigators, doctors diagnosed the suspect with frontotemporal dementia, a disease which can cause symptoms that include personality changes, emotional problems and unusual behavior.