Did Denver police delay give Christopher Perea time to kill Loretta Barela? (52)
Original item, 2:59 p.m. November 19: Only hours after what's being characterized as an ambush stabbing in Wheat Ridge for which Nate Fischer was arrested, police discovered a dead woman in a Denver neighborhood.
Christopher Perea, the man busted in relation to the crime, is definitely familiar with booking procedures.
At 8:16 a.m. on Sunday, November 18, according to the Denver Police Department, officers responded to an address on the 1500 block of South Carlan Court on what's described as a "report of a possible deceased female."
Unfortunately, the report was accurate. A thus-far-unidentified woman was found inside the residence; she was pronounced dead at the scene. In addition, cops arrested Perea, 41, on suspicion of first-degree murder.
The allegation appears to be the most serious one Perea has ever faced, but far from the first. The Denver Post documents a slew of previous police interactions, from a 2001 controlled-substance charge and a 2004 escape conviction to more narcotics-related offenses in 2007, 2009 and this past August, when he was accused of unlawful drug distribution and weapon possession by a previous offender.
At this point, the woman's name and cause of death awaits release by the Denver coroner's office.
Look below to see a larger version of Perea's mug shot and an interactive graphic of the area near the scene; if you have problems seeing the image, click "View Larger Map."

Christopher Perea.
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