(Image: Carlos Moreno Reporta/Facebook)
A Connecticut man accused in a tragic drive-by shooting that claimed the lives of a young mother and her 4-month-old baby was ordered held on $5 million bail Monday. Lance “Macho” Morales, 23, appeared in state court in Hartford for the Nov. 19 killings of Jessiah Mercado, 20, and her son, Messiah Diaz.
According to a newly released arrest warrant, the motive for the shooting stemmed from an alleged $400 debt Mercado owed Morales for the use of his SUV. Mercado, of Springfield, Massachusetts, had been renting the vehicle for $100 a day but fell behind on payments.
The warrant alleges Morales, of Waterbury, Connecticut, confronted Mercado in Hartford before opening fire in broad daylight. Despite Mercado’s plea, reportedly telling Morales her 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 her son, the shooting injured a third person, while a fourth occupant in the vehicle escaped unharmed. Morales faces charges of murder, assault, and other crimes. If convicted, he could face life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, told 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 steep bail but did not address the charges directly, emphasizing instead that his client is a lifelong Connecticut resident.
Tensions ran high during the hearing, with a man in the courtroom shouting at Morales. Outside, relatives of the victims declined to comment on the case. The next court date for Morales is scheduled for Jan. 8, as the community mourns the loss of Mercado and her son and awaits justice in a case that has shaken the region.
