Morales tells jurors of attacker in Conn. home on night girlfriend was killed

The state rested its case Wednesday in the trial of Jose Morales, who has been charged with the murder of his girlfriend in Ansonia in December 2019.

Morales has been charged with the murder of 43-year-old Christine Holloway and tampering with evidence.

It was on Dec. 2, 2019, that police began an investigation into the homicide of Christine Holloway and the disappearance of Holloway's and Morales' baby daughter, Vanessa, who has not been seen since.

On Feb. 7, 2020, police arrested Morales and charged him with murder and tampering with evidence.

The first defense witness was a clinical psychologist who testified about the effects of PCP and that it could cause memory loss, among other issues. Under cross examination, the state's attorney questioned the psychologist about his credentials in an effort to undercut his credibility with the jury.

"When was the last time doctor that you clinically worked, clinically worked with a PCP intoxicated individual? Never."

In a dramatic turn, Morales then took the stand to testify in his own defense.

Prior to him taking the stand, Judge Murphy asked Morales for a second time if he was sure he wanted to take the stand; to which Morales responded, "I am sure."

Morales told the jury that he and Holloway met through a dating app and he was living in Ansonia on weekends and in New Haven, where his parents live, during the week.

On Wednesday, he gave the jury his account of where he was on Thanksgiving and what he could recall from the following weekend, which he said included using PCP.

He said he was on PCP inside the Ansonia home on Myrtle Avenue where Holloway was killed. Morales told jurors he heard screams and sounds of a struggle. He said he saw a man in the house repeatedly hitting Holloway with a crowbar, but that he couldn't help because of the effects of the PCP.

"This is 10 minutes, not even, from when I smoked the PCP. I went inside the apartment, I tried to look for Vanessa everywhere, the car seat was gone," Morales said.

He also testified that the unknown man told him if he called the police, his daughter would suffer the same fate.

The state's attorney objected to the testimony as hearsay, but the judge allowed it with limits.

Court adjourned on Wednesday with Morales still under direct examination. His testimony will continue again on Thursday morning.

On Tuesday, the jury saw a five-minute body camera video showing Morales’ reaction when Ansonia police informed him of his girlfriend’s death and his daughter’s disappearance.

The jury learned the video was heavily edited to be submitted as evidence.

The defense argued the video could cause permanent prejudice from the jury to his client and the state responded that the video was relevant to the jury because it showed Morales’ reaction, or lack of, and the way Morales changed his response to detectives about his whereabouts over the weekend of Nov. 30 to Dec 2, 2019.

The jury also heard from Medical Examiner Dr. Michael Hays, of the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

Hays testified that he conducted an autopsy of Holloway’s body on Dec. 4, 2019 and provided graphic testimony to the jury regarding Holloway’s traumatic injuries.

“The descendant in this case had numerous extensive blunt force injuries to her head,” Hays said.