A Connecticut man accused of a tragic drive-by shooting that claimed the lives of a young mother and her 4-month-old baby was ordered arrested Monday and held on $5 million bail. Lance “Macho” Morales, 23, appeared in state court in Hartford for the Nov. 19 murders of Jessiah Mercado, 20, and her son, Messiah Diaz.
According to a just released arrest warrant, the reason for the shooting was due to an alleged $400 debt that Mercado owed Morales for the use of his truck. Mercado, of Springfield, Massachusetts, had been renting the vehicle for $100 a day, but fell behind on payments.
The warrant alleges that Morales, of Waterbury, Connecticut, confronted Mercado in Hartford before opening fire in broad daylight. Despite the plea from Mercado, who allegedly told Morales that his baby was in the car, he coldly responded, “I don’t care,” according to a witness cited by police. Authorities believe the firearm used was fully automatic.
In addition to killing Mercado and his son, the shooting injured a third person, while a fourth occupant of the vehicle was unharmed. Morales faces charges of murder, assault and other crimes. If convicted, he could face life in prison without the possibility of parole, he said. Hartford Courant.
Morales, who has a prior conviction for attempted assault and several pending criminal cases in Connecticut, was extradited from Puerto Rico on Nov. 23 following his arrest there. His attorney noted at the hearing that Morales could not afford the high bail, but did not address the charges directly, emphasizing instead that his client is a lifelong Connecticut resident.
Tensions rose during the hearing, with a man in the room yelling at Morales. Outside, relatives of the victims declined to comment on the case. Morales’ next court date is scheduled for January 8, as the community mourns the loss of Mercado and his son and awaits justice in a case that has shaken the region.