A Las Cruces jury found 29-year-old Dillon Alexander Waller guilty on counts of first-degree murder and tampering with evidence in the death of his mother.
As reported by KFOX-TV, Waller now faces life imprisonment with the chance of parole after serving 30 years. An additional three years have been appended for the tampering charge. Waller's conviction comes after he was accused of the death of his mother, an act that shook the core of the community to its foundation.
As the investigation unfolded, empty refrigerators and a vacant kitchen were some of the eerie findings in Berendzen's home. According to KVIA, neighbors had seen Waller leaving in Berendzen's car a few weeks earlier. Officials later located the abandoned vehicle near the Mexican border in San Diego, California. The discovery of Berendzen's car so far from home painted a troubling picture of the events that had transpired.
The details of Waller's transient escape were particularly striking. After leaving his mother's dogs and her car, Waller attempted to cross into Tijuana, Mexico where he supposedly was to meet an accomplice. However, "Waller crossed back into the U.S. to find Berendzen’s vehicle gone. He returned to Las Cruces when he was identified and arrested," as detailed by KTSM. These circumstances contributed to the complex narrative that prosecutors laid before the jury.
