On the evening of February 4, 2019, 27-year-old Alice Marie Figueroa was shot and killed in her New Britain, Connecticut, apartment on Elam Street. Responding to a report of gunfire shortly before 6 p.m., police discovered Figueroa gravely wounded. She was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead. The cause of her death was later determined to be a homicide by gunshot.
Figueroa was the mother of three children.
The immediate investigation pointed to her 42-year-old boyfriend, Benjamin Morales, as the primary suspect. Morales was the father of two of Figueroa's children. According to Figueroa's family, she had recently moved to the new apartment to distance herself from Morales, who had a history of being abusive. Just a month before her death, Figueroa had filed a complaint with the New Britain Police regarding an altercation with Morales, which had resulted in an active arrest warrant for him. On the day of the fatal shooting, Morales allegedly confronted Figueroa's niece, who was waiting in a car outside with the children, before entering the apartment. After shooting Figueroa, he reportedly threatened the niece as well before fleeing the scene.
A manhunt for Morales immediately ensued, with police describing him as armed and dangerous. The investigation revealed that several individuals had assisted Morales in his attempt to evade capture. Three people were subsequently arrested and charged with hindering prosecution for misleading police or providing aid to Morales. During the search for Morales, a woman who was romantically involved with him was reported missing and believed to be in his company. She was later found unharmed. The nationwide search, involving U.S. Marshals, concluded on March 12, 2019, when Morales was found hiding in a refrigerator in a South Carolina home and was arrested without incident.
Following his extradition to Connecticut, Benjamin Morales was charged with murder. Court proceedings revealed his extensive criminal history, which included a prior conviction for manslaughter. In March 2023, Morales was sentenced to 35 years in prison for the murder of Alice Marie Figueroa.
