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BREAKING NEWS: Third Fugitive Returned from Mexico to Face Murder Charge <Read More>
On August 29, 1998, 12-year-old Steven Morales was playing baseball with several other children in front of his apartment complex. Defendant Alvaro Jara, a US citizen and active "Dogtown" gang member, drove by the location, apparently spotted some "Avenues" rival gang members, and opened fire. One of the rounds struck Steven in the head as he dove for cover pulling another child to safety. Steven died of his wounds the next day without regaining consciousness.
Alvaro Jara fled to Mexico with his 14-year-old girlfriend. On or about July 6, 2001, Mexico refused to deport Jara back to the United States, apparently because of his Mexican heritage. In September, 2004 Mexico again refused deportation.
It's been five years that my brother, Steven J. Morales, was murdered due to an act of violence. There's not a day that goes by I don't think about how it could have been if Steven was still here. I'm still waiting for a day we get a call that they have caught the murderer that took my brother's innocent life away. That coward just took off to Mexico thinking he could get away and never worry about a thing. My brother would be walking down the aisle in June with his cap and gown, getting his diploma. The only thing that we will do in June is visit my brother's grave for what would have been his seventeenth birthday. We need justice to get the coward that killed my brother and ran to Mexico. We need to know that my brother's murderer is caught and is facing the punishment he deserves.
In memory of my brother, Steven Morales, I wear the Superman emblem on my necklace as well as on my arm which I have tattooed with his name in the clouds.
This is Daniel Morales, Steven Morales' little brother. Steven was 12 at the time. There was a gang member that tried to shoot another gang member and missed and hit my brother. He died at the hospital. It's been 5 years now. Then, three years later, my Mom got cancer and passed away one day before Mother's Day. Now it is harder for us all.
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