A homicide suspect who has eluded police since the alleged murder of a 22-year-old Silver City man led local law enforcement on a Tuesday afternoon high-speed pursuit that ended on a dirt road in Hatch.
Steven Morales, 36, was reportedly driving a blue Honda CRV on Interstate 25 Tuesday when Border Patrol agents at a checkpoint instructed him to pull over to a secondary inspection station.
The car, which was initially reported as black in color, belonged to a female friend of Morales. The woman was in the car at the time, along with her one-year-old son and seven-year-old daughter.
Morales reportedly told the woman he had a gun, and did not want to pull over to the secondary inspection station. He instead accelerated and continued northbound on I-25, prompting the pursuit which reached speeds of up to 100 miles per hour.
Morales exited the interstate at Hatch, driving westbound on Franklin through heavy traffic; school had just ended for the day at Hatch Valley High School. Morales reportedly stopped the vehicle in the 100 block of Canyon Street, got out and fled on foot.
The Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Department deployed its Special Response Team and began a search of the area. Morales remains at large.
Morales has eluded police since he was named a suspect in the murder of Esteban Ortega, whose body was found inside a vehicle near Pinos Altos on Jan. 14.
Doña Ana County Sheriff’s investigators say charges are pending against Morales for aggravated fleeing, child abuse and felon in possession of a firearm.
The manhunt for Morales continues under the direction of the U.S. Marshal Service, with participation by several assisting agencies.
Information from Dona Ana County