Who is Karlan Denio? Man with dementia kills and dismembers wife hours before Thanksgiving dinner
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO: A demented New Mexico man is accused of murdering, beheading, and dismembering his wife hours before relatives arrived to celebrate Thanksgiving at their house. When no one answered the door on Thursday, November 24, afternoon in Albuquerque, relatives of Karlan and Connie Denio had to remove the hinges in order to enter the house after which found the horrible revelation.
To celebrate Thanksgiving, Connie had planned for family members to arrive at about 1.pm that day. The preparations had been thoroughly discussed in a family group chat the night before. But when the relatives showed up that afternoon, they were unable to enter the house.
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Relatives informed police that frontotemporal dementia, a condition that can cause major personality changes, emotional disengagement, and other mental health problems, was identified as Karlan Denio's disease two years ago. In relation to Connie Denio's death, Denio, 62, is currently facing an open case of murder. According to authorities, he is currently in the hospital getting treatment for injuries to his arm and neck.
After knocks on the door went unanswered, Karlan's out-of-town brother and sister called the police to ask for a welfare check. The family had to make their own entrance when the dispatcher informed them that cops could not enter by force. The siblings banged on every window and door before removing a door's hinges to gain entry. A second 911 call was made shortly after the family members entered the house to report that Karlan was suspected of killing his wife.
Karlan Denio was found laying in bed when police arrived at the horrific sight, while Connie was reportedly found "dismembered and disemboweled" on the bedroom floor. Karlan was detained, and authorities discovered that he had cuts on his neck and leg, as per reported by NY Post.
Karlan's sister reported to the police that when the siblings first entered the house, it was dark, and they discovered their brother "lying on the bed" with his wife laying on the floor. On Facebook, a family member described Connie Denio as "Young. Vibrant. Fearless.” This is how I will always remember my aunt Connie… Not afraid to climb a tree in a dress," the woman wrote in a post. The post featured a blurry image of Denio perched in a tree, wearing a blue frock, and hanging out in the branches with two little children.
"I'm stunned, that is unbelievable, " said Rick Cordova who had lived next door to the Denio family for two decades, and that it was the family he “would least expect” to have such a tragedy befall them. He described the couple as lovely people who frequently strolled together and always waved hello.