ANSONIA – More than five years after Christine Holloway was found murdered in her Myrtle Avenue home, the man accused of the crime is scheduled to go to trial on March 18, 2025.
Jose Morales, the father of missing child Vanessa Morales, stands accused of murdering Holloway, the girl’s mother, in 2019. The trial follows a year in which a plea deal was offered, but fell through.
On Dec. 2 – five years to the day since the crime – Ansonia police confirmed that the investigation into Vanessa’s disappearance is ongoing and released an age-progressed photo of the then-one-year-old girl.
“Unfortunately after five years we are in the same place we were when the investigation began,” Ansonia police said in a Facebook post. “We do not know what happened to Vanessa, but continue to ask the public for assistance in this investigation.”
An age-progressed photo of Vanessa, released by the Ansonia Police Department.
A $10,000 reward has been offered for information that leads to finding Vanessa. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Vanessa, who is now six years old, should call the Ansonia Police Department at 203 – 735‑1885 or the F.B.I. tip line at 203 – 503‑5555.
Morales has not been charged in connection to Vanessa’s disappearance. He is charged with Holloway’s murder and tampering with evidence.
Both Christine and Vanessa were last seen by family members on Nov. 29, 2019. Holloway was found in her home, dead from blunt force trauma, on Dec. 2.
Morales’ vehicle was recorded leaving the residence shortly after the murder. His DNA was identified on several pieces of evidence, according to a warrant.
During interviews with police, Morales’ story shifted several times. He made claims that he had been smoking PCP with a friend and that he and Holloway had been victims of a break-in that led to her murder, the warrant states.
An arrest warrant repeatedly describes Morales as being unemotional during the investigation. When Detective Richard Esposito told Morales’ family about the murder, the warrants describes Morales as “sitting there unemotional as if nothing was going on.”
Morales was arrested and charged with the murder on Feb. 7, 2020. He was initially represented by attorneys Kevin Smith and Norm Pattis; however, he is now defended by Bridgeport attorney Edward Gavin.
Prosecutors offered a plea deal to Morales in January. The details of that deal were never made public – but members of Holloway’s family had previously said that any plea offer would need to contain information on Vanessa’s whereabouts.
In July, state prosecutors said they had been unable to reach a deal with Morales, and that the case will go to trial. Family members at the time said they were looking forward to having their day in court.
“Myself and my family are content that it’s going to trial, because now we can prove that Jose committed this crime, and there will be justice for my sister-in-law,” Jodi Jacobellis, Vanessa’s aunt, said in July.
Jury selection for the trial is scheduled for Feb. 24, 2025.
