Waterbury Man Faces Charges in Hartford Double Murder
Lance Morales, 23, also known as “Mach” or “Macho”, appeared in court in Connecticut for the first time on Monday facing charges in the murders of 20-year-old Jessiah Mercado and her 4-month-old son, Messiah. The two were killed in a drive-by shooting on New Britain Avenue in Hartford last month.
According to an arrest warrant, family members claim that Morales rented a car to Mercado and that she owed him $400. There were also indications of a previous relationship between the two, with Morales trying to contact Mercado despite her ignoring him.
The police believe a fully automatic firearm was used in the shooting, as captured by surveillance video in the area. Morales was identified by a witness based on a tattoo above his left eye and was arrested in Puerto Rico four days after the incident.
Morales, who is charged with murder with special circumstances, has been denied bond at $5 million. His next court appearance is scheduled for January 8th.
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