The man and his mother were arrested in connection with the murder of a Riverside County woman.
The suspect was identified as 25-year-old Mario Morales Jr. and his mother, Juanna de Morales, 55, a Coachella resident, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.
On June 26th, deputies responded to a possible murder at a residence in the 84,000 block of Manila Avenue, Indio, just after 7am.
Authorities found the victim, Alexis Cano, 24, suffering from a gunshot wound inside the house. She was declared dead at the scene.
Investigators determined that the fatal shooting was due to a domestic injury, and Morales was identified as the main suspect.
According to news outlet KESQ, Morales allegedly told his family about the murder later that night. He reportedly asked his mother to take him to Mexico, and was later dropped off at a friend’s ranch in Mexico.
Mario Morales Jr., 25, can be seen in booking photos from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.
The next day, he was placed in Mexican authorities at the ranch and was taken into custody, KESQ reports. He was taken to Calexico’s port of entry, where Riverside County Councillors arrested him for murder.
His mother reportedly stopped at the border while trying to re-enter the US and was arrested for murder accessories.
On July 1st, both suspects were charged with alleged involvement in the crime. Both pleaded not guilty. The court hearing is scheduled for July 11th. Booking photos were released only for Morales.
Morales is in custody on $5 million bail and his mother is in custody on $1 million bail.
The case is under investigation. Anyone with additional information will be asked to call Investigator D. Hernandez or Investigator G. Gonzalez at 951-955-2777.
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