CT Amber Alert: Jose Morales Charged With Murder Of Girlfriend

ANSONIA, CT — Jose Morales was charged with murdering his girlfriend Christine Holloway, 43. The whereabouts of their daughter Vanessa Morales, 1, remain unknown, but police continue to follow leads in the case.

Morales was charged with murder and tampering with evidence and is being held in lieu of $5 million bail. He has been in prison since Dec. 3 after he was taken into custody on unrelated charges. He was found to be in possession of two stun guns in his New Haven home, police said. Morales, a convicted felon, isn’t allowed to own weapons.

Morales was previously named as a suspect in the disappearance of Vanessa and the homicide of Holloway. Ansonia Police Lt. Patrick Lynch said the department hopes Morales’ arrest will lead to information on the whereabouts of Vanessa. Once again he urged whoever had her to come forward to police and that her safe return remains their priority.

Holloway was found dead inside her Ansonia house on Dec. 2 and an Amber Alert was issued soon thereafter for Vanessa. Holloway died as a result of blunt force trauma, police said.

Morales has a violent criminal history, including an incident where he threatened to break all of his former girlfriend's bones, according to the Hartford Courant, which cited court records.

Police issued an Silver Alert for Vanessa Morales Dec. 3, followed by an Amber Alert Dec. 4. She was last reportedly seen by relatives on Nov. 29, police said. Officers went to Holloway’s home Dec. 2 for a welfare check and found her dead and Vanessa missing.

The search for Vanessa has reached several nearby towns including Derby, Naugatuck and Hamden.

Vanessa is 2 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs 17 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact Ansonia Police at 203-735-1885 or the FBI at 800-225-5324.