Waterbury man arrested Saturday after the death of Springfield woman and her infant child

By Alyssa Buford

Jessiah Mercado and her son Messiah were shot in their vehicle on New Britain Avenue, according to police. A third passenger was minorly injured by a gunshot wound, and the driver of the vehicle was unharmed. Morales reportedly pulled up next to Mercado’s parked car and began shooting as per video footage from Hartford police. Both Mercado and her son were from Springfield, Massachusetts, but MassLive has reported that Messiah was in the state foster care system. The agency is currently investigating the case.

The U.S Marshals Service has stated that Morales has been charged with two counts of murder, first-degree assault, criminal possession of a firearm, criminal attempt to commit first-degree assault, and murder with special circumstances.

When it was suspected that Morales fled to Puerto Rico, the Marshals said he was arrested by the Puerto Rico Violent Fugitive Task Force in Fajardo. Morales was charged as a fugitive of justice, and he will be extradited to Connecticut.

Acting U.S Marshal for the District of Connecticut Lawrence Bobnick deemed the arrest as a “testament to the close collaboration between the U.S Marshals Service and our valued law enforcement partners. It demonstrates the reach these partnerships bring to the pursuit of justice.”