The second week of testimony in the Jose Morales trial began with jurors watching video of a police interview of Morales being asked about his missing daughter, Vanessa, days after the death of Christine Holloway.
On the sixth day of Jose Morales’ trial, the jury was shown a nearly hour-long video interview from Dec. 3, 2019.
Morales is facing charges of murder and tampering with evidence in the death of his 43-year-old girlfriend Christine Holloway.
On Monday, Lt. James Frolish with the Ansonia Police Department was the first witness to take the stand.
Prior to being promoted to lieutenant with Ansonia police, Frolish was a detective sergeant in December 2019.
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Lt. Frolish testified that he went to pick up Morales from his mother’s home in New Haven during the early hours of Dec. 3, 2019 to bring him to the Ansonia Police Department so Morales could help police try and figure out where his daughter Vanessa was.
At the time of the video interview, Morales had not been arrested or detained, Lt. Frolish added.
The questioning shown in the video was conducted by Lt. Frolish and Detective Stephan Adcox.
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The detectives begin asking Morales about his girlfriend Christine Holloway’s whereabouts and where he thought Vanessa could be.
Morales told the investigators the two of them had stayed with him in New Haven to celebrate Thanksgiving and left back to Ansonia by 6 p.m. on Friday.
The detectives continued to ask Morales if there's anywhere or anyone he could think of who would have Vanessa.
Morales continued to respond that he figured Vanessa was with Christine and had no idea who else she could be with.
At one point Morales is heard saying, “we have a baby but it’s not like we’re that close,” as he referred to Holloway.
During that interview, Morales also told the detectives that he returned to his home in New Haven on Dec. 2, 2019 after staying with his friend in East Haven over the weekend.
Detective Adcox was heard sounding frustrated with Morales’ lack of concern or worry for his daughter Vanessa.
Detective Adcox asked Morales if he he had any idea of Vanessa’s location and if he didn’t then how could he be so sure that Vanessa was still with Holloway, to which Morales responded, “I don’t know,” before he rhetorically said, “do you want me to cry for Christine, cry for my daughter?”
After more questioning but without getting anywhere in the conversation, Morales asks to leave the police department.
The detectives are heard saying they would escort him home but they would be confiscating his clothing.
After some back-and-forth over the type of outfit Morales was given, Morales is seen taking off his clothing and putting on a suit cover shortly before the video ends.
Lt. Frolish told jurors the police department also confiscated Morales’ cellphones and the black sneakers he had on before dropping him off in New Haven.
After the lunch recess Monday, Lt. Frolish was expected to return to the stand for the defense to do their questioning, but the judge informed the court that they would continue with another witness to accommodate scheduling matters, and Lt. Frolish would return at a later time.
The second witness of the day was FBI Agent Brian Harte.
Agent Harte is currently a field and forensic photographer, but in December of 2019, he said he was employed by the Ansonia Police Department as a detective.
Agent Harte testified that he was assigned to draft a search warrant for 6 1/2 Myrtle Ave., due to the missing child factor of the investigation.
Agent Harte testified that he also requested extra phone records from Morales’ iPhone 6, which revealed that it was a “strictly WiFi-phone.”
Agent Harte exclaimed to the jury that this meant the phone had to be near an internet modem or router in order to get service.
Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Marc Durso asked Agent Harte, “if the iPhone 6 was in close proximity to 6 1/2 Myrtle Ave, it would’ve needed the password to auto connect? Harte then responded, “correct.”
Agent Harte also testified to some of the items he saw in Holloway’s home during his search of the apartment.
Marc Durso: "What stuck out to you about this pink Croc?"
Agent Harte: "I recall seeing it during my initial search and it stuck out to me as a sole shoe, I mean singular. Later on on Dec 5, the Connecticut State Police processed a crime scene in Hamden. A pink Croc was found in Hamden and Harte said they believed it was the match to the one found at Holloway's home.
In that statement, Agent Harte was referring to the Kiducation warehouse in Hamden where Connecticut State Police conducted a search of items with blood that were brought in from a clothing donation bin in Derby.
Agent Harte also testified to conducting a forensic download from an iPad seized from Morales’ home.
Agent Harte said the forensic download revealed messages between Christine Holloway and Isaac Morales, Morales’ young son, although it was later determined to be Jose Morales would use his son’s iPad.
Agent Harte testified that the text messages appeared to be between people who were in a relationship.
Defense Attorney Howard Stein proceeded with a brief questioning of the witness.
Court adjourned before 4:20 p.m. on Monday.
