Javier Morales, a 24-year-old Black man known to friends and colleagues as Javi, was shot and killed on the evening of October 12, 2024, in Oklahoma City. Morales worked as a production assistant and building manager for a local podcast, and his death was especially poignant as his father is a member of LiveFree OKC, an organization dedicated to preventing gun violence. At approximately 8:27 p.m.
that Saturday, police were called to the parking lot of Chino's Liquor store near Northwest 91st Street and Western Avenue, where they found Morales deceased inside his car from gunshot wounds.
Investigators learned that Morales had been sitting in his vehicle when he became involved in an altercation. According to witness statements, the dispute began as an argument with another man over a bag of marijuana, which officers later found on the trunk of Morales's car. Some witnesses told police the incident appeared to be a robbery attempt and that Morales may have discharged his own weapon in self-defense.
The investigation quickly led police to a suspect vehicle and then to a residence near Southeast 23rd Street and Del Road. The day after the shooting, a standoff at the home ended peacefully when two individuals surrendered. Police arrested 20-year-old Brooklynn Miller and booked her into the Oklahoma County Detention Center on a complaint of being an accessory to murder. Authorities stated that Miller had driven the alleged shooter and two other people to the liquor store that night.
Two days later, on October 16, 2024, authorities in Del City located and arrested the alleged gunman, 18-year-old J'Ceon Lewis. He was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Javier Morales.
In a later development, J'Ceon Lewis entered a blind plea of guilty to the first-degree murder charge. At the time of the arrests in October 2024, police noted that other people may have been involved in the incident. The death of Javier Morales marked the 70th homicide in Oklahoma City for the year 2024.
