A Connecticut man allegedly shot and killed a mother and her four-month-old son in Hartford over a $400 debt related to a car rental. The tragic incident occurred on November 19 when 23-year-old Lance Morales reportedly opened fire on Jessiah Mercado, 20, and her son, Messiah Diaz, while they were in a vehicle with two others.
According to the warrant affidavit, Morales was identified by survivors of the shooting as the assailant. The affidavit detailed that Mercado had rented a Mazda from Morales for $100 a day and owed him $400. Witnesses stated that Morales acknowledged the presence of the baby in the car before allegedly firing a fully automatic weapon.
The affidavit revealed that Mercado and her son were fatally shot, with Mercado suffering gunshot wounds to her upper torso and the child being shot in the arm. They were pronounced dead at Hartford Hospital. Another passenger in the vehicle sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.
Morales fled to Puerto Rico after the shooting and was apprehended on November 23 by the U.S. Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force. He faces multiple charges, including two counts of murder and criminal possession of a firearm.
Morales has a history of legal issues, including a first-degree assault conviction in 2021 and other pending cases. He is a lifelong Connecticut resident with family ties in the area.
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