Update: Ansonia Murder Case Now In The Hands Of The Jury

MILFORD – A prosecutor said Jose Morales was a controlling boyfriend who beat Christine Holloway to death in her Ansonia apartment the morning of Dec. 1, 2019, spent some 36 hours meticulously cleaning the crime scene, and, two weeks later, concocted an elaborate lie involving home invaders and PCP.

The evidence shows Morales is guilty of murder and tampering with physical evidence, supervisory assistant state’s attorney Howard Stein told the jury during this closing argument in Superior Court Monday (April 21).

Both the prosecution and defense presented closing arguments Monday (watch the video below). By 4:30 p.m., the case, after nine days of testimony, was in the hands of the jury.

Morales and Holloway had a daughter, Vanessa Morales, who has been missing since her mother’s killing. No one has been charged in connection to Vanessa’s disappearance, which is still under investigation.

Morales previously testified in court that a group of unknown assailants entered the home, beat Holloway to death as Morales lay incapacitated from PCP use, and kidnapped Vanessa.

Stein advised jurors to consider whether Morales had any credibility as a witness, and to question whether Morales was simply regurgitating lines from a script when he took the witness stand last week.

Stein said there was no evidence introduced during the 9‑day trial that shows Morales was smoking PCP, or that a group of unidentified men were responsible for killing Holloway. He characterized Morales’ testimony as self-serving.

“Why would you believe that home invaders who committed murder and kidnapped a child would leave behind a living witness?” Stein asked. ​“How does that make sense?”

The evidence points to Morales, Stein said.

Stein said there was evidence presented that shows Morales collected blood-stained children’s clothes, toys, a diaper Genie – and mail addressed to Holloway – and dumped them in a clothes donation box in Derby.

Morales himself testified he cleaned the crime scene, including his own bloody footprints from the apartment’s carpet. He also dumped viscera into a garbage disposal, which were retrieved by police. The matter turned out to be Holloway’s bone fragments, according to testimony.

And there’s cell phone data and surveillance video putting Morales in the area of Myrtle Avenue, where Holloway lived, on Dec. 1 and Dec. 2, 2019.

Stein told jurors that Morales placed ​“no calls for help for Christine. No calls for help for the missing child,” he said.

During his closing argument, defense attorney Edward Gavin, told jurors the state did not provide enough evidence to convict Morales of murder.

He pointed out a murder weapon was never recovered. He questioned why the state tried ​“to hide PCP in this case.”

“What we do know is the state has not proven a murder case against Jose Morales,” Gavin told the jury.

Gavin said Morales testified that he was high on PCP for much of the weekend (Nov. 29, 2019 through Dec. 2, 2019) while he was in Ansonia with Holloway and Vanessa. He pointed to the testimony of a defense witness, a psychologist, who said PCP use can cause amnesia.

When Ansonia police first interviewed Morales, he changed his story several times, according to an arrest warrant. At first he said he hadn’t stayed with Holloway in Ansonia. He told police about a group of unknown assailants about two weeks after Holloway’s body was discovered.

Gavin said Morales’ memory came back to him after smoking PCP.

The question of how intoxicated Morales was or wasn’t is important because, in Connecticut, the element of intent is crucial to convict a person of murder. If a person is severely incapacitated due to drugs, a jury could decide the person was not capable of forming intent.

Stein countered Gavin’s argument by pointing out there is no evidence of Morales being high other than Morales himself. Stein said intent can be formulated in an instant, and that Morales’ behavior after the homicide all points to a person fully in charge of his actions.

“Intent can be created in an instant, such as when a person engages in a sudden rage. The intention does not have to be long-standing. It doesn’t have to be festering spite or ill will over a long period of time. It is an intention that can be created in a moment,” Stein said.

Morales knew to clean the crime scene and he made multiple trips in cars to get rid of evidence, Stein said. He even managed to use a credit card machine at a Shell gas station less than four hours after authorities believe Holloway was killed.

Stein said the ability to use the machine, including entering his PIN number, all point to a person not severely under the influence.

Regarding the lack of a murder weapon, Stein said the nature of the wounds – round, about an inch – clearly point to the use of a hammer.

He also attacked Morales’ credibility in other areas. Morales had testified that things were good between him and Christine, and that they had been decorating a Christmas tree at his parents’ residence in New Haven in the days before Holloway was killed and his daughter went missing.

However, messages between Morales and Holloway told a ​“much darker story,” Stein said.

Holloway was hard working and religious, and literally prayed to God to make their relationship work, Stein said. Morales, meanwhile, was a part-time father who was overly concerned with things like whether Holloway had canceled a gym membership. He called Holloway names, and, just before Thanksgiving, had referred to their relationship as ​“stupid.”

About Christine Holloway

Holloway was 43 years old when she was killed. She grew up the oldest of five children, and was the first in her family to graduate from college, where she studied psychology. She worked at Bright Morning Star Child Care, a daycare in Bridgeport. Her obituary said she loved children, and was inseparable from Vanessa.

Holloway was a parishioner at St. Andrew’s Church in Bridgeport, and was a member of the Columbiettes, a Catholic women’s organization.

Missing Persons Case Still Open

Vanessa Morales, now six years old, remains missing. The investigation into her disappearance is ongoing. A court order has limited what can be said about Vanessa.

The National Center For Missing & Exploited Children released an age-progressed photo of Vanessa:

A $10,000 reward has been offered for information that leads to finding her. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Vanessa should call the Ansonia Police Department at 203 ‑735‑1885.

The following comes from a timeline previously provided by Ansonia police.

Nov. 29, 2019 – Last confirmed contact with Christine Holloway.

Dec. 2, 1 p.m. – Holloway’s employer requests welfare check, no contact.

Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m. – Holloway’s family requests a welfare check. Holloway is found deceased in the home, Vanessa Morales missing.

Dec. 2 – Vanessa Morales listed as missing, silver alert issued.

Dec. 3 – Search warrant served at Jose Morales’ New Haven residence. Morales is arrested by New Haven PD for allegedly possessing two stun guns and held on a $250,000 bond.

Dec. 4 – Amber alert issued for Vanessa Morales.

Dec. 4 – State of Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner rules Christine Holloway’s death a homicide by blunt force trauma.

Dec. 17 – Jose Morales identified as suspect in the death of Christine Holloway and disappearance of Vanessa Morales.

Feb. 7, 2020 – Morales charged with murdering Christine Holloway and tampering with evidence.