He was appointed Governor of New Mexico by President Antonio López de Santa Anna in 1835, under the new centralized form of government.
[4] Pérez rapidly became unpopular as a representative of the centralist government who was expected to enforce its Departmental Plan and taxation program.
[1] Pérez managed, with difficulty, to assemble 200 volunteers to put down the rebellion in Santa Cruz, and marched north on 7 August 1837.
They were caught on the outskirts of Santa Fe by some Indians from Santo Domingo Pueblo, who decapitated Pérez and killed some of his supporters, then proceeded to play sports[which?]
[1] The Daughters of the American Revolution originally erected the simple stone marker, engraved with the date of Pérez's assassination, near the corner of Hickox and Agua Fría streets in Santa Fe, in 1901.