HARTFORD, Conn. — A 23-year-old man has been ordered to remain in custody on a $5 million bail following his arraignment in connection with a drive-by shooting that resulted in the deaths of a woman and her infant son in Connecticut. The details emerging from an arrest warrant indicate that the woman, Jessiah Mercado, might have owed the suspect $400 for rental payments on his SUV.
Lance “Macho” Morales made his first court appearance in Hartford related to the tragic incident that occurred on November 19, which led to the deaths of Mercado, 20, from Springfield, Massachusetts, and her 4-month-old son, Messiah Diaz. In addition to the fatalities, a third individual was also shooting during the incident but managed to survive, while another person in the vehicle escaped unharmed.
Morales, who resides in Waterbury, Connecticut, faces serious charges including murder and assault among other criminal offenses. He had been taken into custody in Puerto Rico on November 23, before being extradited to Connecticut on Saturday. If found guilty of these charges, Morales could potentially face life imprisonment without the chance of parole.
The arrest warrant outlined a disturbing account of the events leading up to the shooting, stating that Morales approached the victims’ vehicle and opened fire in broad daylight. Reports indicate that there was a short interaction between Morales and Mercado, during which she informed him that her baby was in the SUV. Morales is said to have responded with indifference, stating, “I don’t care,” according to a witness as cited by police.
Officials suspect that the weapon used in the shooting was an automatic firearm, which raises additional concerns regarding the nature of the crime.
During the court hearing, Morales’ attorney did not address the allegations directly, instead highlighting that Morales was unable to post the substantial bail and mentioned that he has lived in Connecticut his entire life.
The arrest warrant further revealed that Mercado was renting a Mazda SUV from Morales for $100 each day and had fallen behind on payments, leading to an outstanding debt of $400. Morales has a prior conviction for attempted assault and currently faces several other legal issues in the state. His next court date is scheduled for January 8.
Throughout the proceedings, tensions were noticeable in the courtroom, as a spectator shouted at Morales. Family members of the deceased chose not to speak to the media after the hearing.
