Lance Morales, the man accused of killing a 4-month-old baby and his mother in Hartford before fleeing to Puerto Rico, appeared before a Connecticut judge on Monday.
The victims’ family attended the hearing, and as it concluded, they shouted at Morales, calling him derogatory names and saying, “we’ll see you soon.”
Morales, 23, is charged with the November murders of 20-year-old Jessiah Mercado and her infant son Messiah Diaz, following a dispute over a car. Mercado and her son were from Springfield, Massachusetts. After the killings, Morales fled to Puerto Rico, but US Marshals captured him days later and brought him back to Connecticut last week.
This is not Morales’ first legal encounter. He has five other pending cases in Waterbury. In August 2024, he was arrested for resisting arrest, interfering with an officer, and driving without a license. He was also arrested for violating probation in February, stemming from a first-degree assault charge he pled guilty to in April 2021. Additionally, Morales faces charges for criminal mischief, tampering with evidence, and cocaine trafficking. In 2021, he was convicted of violating a protective order and served about three years in prison, and in 2022, he was convicted of escape after evading community release.
The state requested the judge deny bond, citing the severity of the charges, including murder with special circumstances, which carries a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole. However, the judge set a $5 million bond.
The victims’ family chose not to speak to the media, stating they weren’t ready. Morales is due back in court next week for the murder case and will also face charges in Waterbury in February.
