Defense rests in Jose Morales murder trial following his testimony; closing arguments set for Monday
On Thursday, Morales admitted to cleaning up the crime scene, disposing of bloodied items and moving Holloway’s bludgeoned body, but he flat out denied being the killer.
The defense rested in Jose Morales’ murder trial Thursday following the conclusion of his testimony. Morales was back on the stand in Milford Superior Court to give his account of what happened in the early morning hours of Sunday, Dec. 1, 2019—when prosecutors allege he murdered his girlfriend, Christine Holloway, in her home in Ansonia and then spent the next day getting rid of evidence.
On Thursday, Morales admitted to cleaning up the crime scene, disposing of bloodied items and moving Holloway’s bludgeoned body, but he flat out denied being the killer.
“I did not kill Christine Holloway,” Morales stated when asked that during what was a lengthy and—at times—aggressive questioning by Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Howard Stein.
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Before Stein’s cross examination, Morales picked up his narrative with what happened after he said two unknown intruders got into Holloway’s home, beat her to death and kidnapped the couple’s 1-year-old daughter, Vanessa—all while Morales said he was high on PCP and incapacitated.
Through questioning by defense attorney Ed Gavin Thursday morning, Morales told the jury that after the intruders left, he thought about calling police but kept thinking of what one of them had said—that they’d kill Vanessa if he notified law enforcement.
Morales testified he slept for a little, then when he woke up, began cleaning up the items that were stained with blood. He said he filled several small garbage bags that he put in a larger contractor’s bag and tossed in trunk of his car.
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Around 6 a.m., he left to buy cigarettes and decided to dump the bag at donation bins nearby, according to Morales.
“I grabbed the big contractor bag, and I tried to stuff it inside the donation bins’ opening. And it wouldn’t go in because it was too big. So, I threw the contractor bag back in the trunk of the car, I opened it and started taking the bags from the big trash bag and started throwing them in the bin,” Morales said.
Morales recalled how he returned to Holloway’s home on Myrtle Avenue and later moved her body.
“I was feeling extremely sad about the way Christine was looking in the hallway. So, I didn’t want nobody to see her like that,” Morales told the jury. “I gently grabbed Christine, and I placed her in the tub.”
Morales said after that, he grabbed a bucket of water and towels.
“I started just cleaning the blood on the tiles, and I cleaned it up with the bucket, and I was dumping the water from the bucket into the garbage disposal,” he testified.
Morales said that on Monday, Dec. 2, he removed Holloway’s bloody pajamas with the intention of dressing her in new clothing.
“But I didn't have the, I don't know, the strength to do it, the courage to go back inside the bathroom,” Morales stated.
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He told the jury that around 1 p.m. he heard someone knocking at the door, but he didn’t answer because he “freaked out.” He said that made him realize it was time to leave and return to his parents’ home in New Haven.
On cross-examination, Stein took aim at Morales’ account right away, calling it “a story.”
"We are talking about December 2019, and we are currently now in April of 2025. You've had five plus years to sit back and think about this case, haven't you?" Stein asked off the bat.
“I have,” Morales replied.
Stein’s questions began with a focus on Morales' relationship with Holloway, asking if he was controlling or emotionally abusive with her. Morales denied both.
“Do you ever recall calling her a pig?” Stein asked.
“I do,” Morales responded.
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Stein went through text messages between them from the days and weeks before Holloway's murder. In those, Morales accused Holloway of being unfaithful, called her names and swore at her. Stein also pointed out multiple messages where Holloway said she loved Morales, but he didn’t say it back. The texts contradicted Morales' direct testimony that things with them were good.
“Did you follow up on Nov. 25 with this? ‘This stupid relationship is done.’” Stein asked pointing to a printout of the conversation.
"That's what is looks like,” Morales said. "Trash talk, that's what it is.”
Stein then took Morales through his direct testimony about how Holloway was killed. Morales testified Wednesday that while he was high on PCP, he saw two unknown men running at the house. The next thing he knew he was on the ground after being punched in the face and hit in the chest, according to Morales’ direct testimony. He told the jury he heard one of the intruders run out of the house with Vanessa while he heard Holloway struggling with the other in the bedroom. She managed to get away but didn’t get far, he said.
“When she fell by the doorway, he only hit her three times with the crowbar right there,” Morales reiterated.
"But you heard Dr. Hartnett-McCann testify that she counted at least eight separate impact points minimum?” Stein countered.
"Well, he did hit her pretty hard, hard, extremely hard,” Morales replied.
"I got that. My question is you heard the doctor say she counted at last eight separate marks on Christine's skull?” Stein said again.
Morales stated that he only heard the struggle in the bedroom, didn’t see it, so he couldn’t testify how many times he hit her there.
“Mr. Morales did you kill Christine Holloway?” Stein asked before the lunch break.
“No,” Morales said.
“Were you so intoxicated on a substance, PCP or alcohol or any other substance, that you don't remember killing Christine Holloway?” Stein shot back.
“I did not kill Christine Holloway,” Morales answered.
"I just want to be sure, right?” Stein continued. “Is there any possibility this is a delusion that you are engaged in?”
“No,” Morales replied.
“And you're 100% sure?” Stein asked again.
"I'm 100%,” Morales said.
Following the lunch break, Stein went through Morales’ account of the cleanup he did the rest of the day into Monday.
Stein brought up testimony from the landlord who was in his workshop below the home and heard loud noises from above Sunday afternoon.
“The banging was you dropping Ms. Holloway into the tub,” Stein said.
Morales denied that so Stein asked what it was.
“The banging was me banging on the floor telling Christopher to stop the noise. Every weekend he’ll come for four or five hours with a saw on,” Morales answered.
“Christine Holloway is dead in the apartment. You are cleaning up a gruesome crime scene, and you’re concerned about the noise coming from the garage downstairs?” Stein asked incredulously.
“It was driving me crazy,” Morales answered.
Multiple times during cross-examination, Stein brought up inconsistencies between Morales’ direct testimony and the evidence, as well as between Morales’ direct testimony and what he said during cross-examination.
Stein also pointed out that the police station was near the donation bins that Morales dumped blood-stained items in. He asked if Morales ever considered stopping there to get help finding Vanessa.
“Did that thought enter into your mind at all?” Stein questioned.
“It didn’t,” Morales responded.
On cross examination, Morales also said he didn’t remember the first police interview he did in the early morning hours of Tuesday, Dec. 2—during which Morales told investigators he hadn’t seen his girlfriend or daughter since Friday and denied being in Ansonia over the weekend.
Stein also asked Morales about his reaction, which was recorded by police body cameras, to investigators telling him and his family Holloway was dead.
“You had absolutely zero emotion,” Stein stated.
“I already knew what happened,” Morales said.
“But you did show a reaction when the police told you they took your car?” Stein questioned.
“I didn’t know about that, that they took the car,” Morales explained.
Stein suggested his concern was due to the blood-stained contractor bag in the car’s trunk.
“I forgot all about that,” Morales stated.
Stein ended his cross-examination again asking, “Why didn’t you call police?”
“Because I was afraid something might happen to my daughter,” Morales said.
“Why didn’t you attempt to do CPR on Christine Holloway?” Stein then asked.
“You see the picture. Can you do CPR on that?” Morales responded.
After Stein was done, the defense rested, on what was the ninth day of the trial.
The prosecution spent over seven days making its case with crime scene photos, DNA experts, eyewitnesses, Morales’ police interview and security camera footage.
Closing arguments are set for Monday since court is closed Friday for the holiday.
CASE TIMELINE: Jose Morales trial: The murder of Christine Holloway and mystery of their missing daughter
