Blogs

On April 28, 2020, at approximately 12:01 a.m., patrol officers were dispatched to the area of Congress
Avenue and Cedar Street for the report of a stabbing. One 911 caller reported two males were in an
argument/fight which lead to a stabbing. The victim, Secundino Ramirez born July 28,1990-29 yrs., a
former resident of New Haven, most recently a resident of West Haven, was fatally stabbed. Ramirez did
succumb to his injuries at Yale New Haven Hospital.
The night of April 27
th into April 28th, Ramirez and two of his male friends were traveling around the city
when the operator of the vehicle stopped his vehicle in the area of Congress Avenue and Cedar Street. It is
believed the three males had been consuming alcohol throughout the evening. Ramirez and the other male
occupant wanted to travel to the Fair Haven section of the city, but the operator of the vehicle was not in
agreement. Ramirez and the other male occupant got into an argument (about who should purchase more
alcohol), exited the vehicle and then the operator drove away. The argument escalated into a fist fight
which lead to Ramirez being fatally stabbed, and then the assailant fled the immediate area on foot.
New Haven Police Homicide Detectives worked diligently while they received assistance from members of
the community, Yale University Police Detectives and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Surveillance footage captured from the Congress Avenue and Cedar Street also aided detectives in this
investigation. On or about April 30th
, detectives were able to positively develop Marcial Morales born
November 7, 1998-21 yrs., of 8 Garden Street, New Haven, as the only suspect in Ramirez’s death.
Detectives learned Morales did have an active warrant for Failure to Appear out of West Haven. A wanted
for questioning bolo relative to the homicide was generated for Morales on May 1st
.
On May 2nd, New Haven Police Patrol Officers Perotti and Vakos spotted Morales on Garden Street, where
he was detained and then arrested; after his Failure to Appear warrant (Trespass ticket $250 bond) was
confirmed by the New Haven Police Department Records Division. Detectives D’Andrea and Soto
conducted a formal interview with Morales and extracted pertinent information from him, that directly led
to the probable cause established in his murder arrest warrant issued on May 3rd
.
Ramirez and Morales are both natives of Guatemala and have been residing in the United States for less
than ten years. Ramirez did not have a criminal record. Morales only had the FTA warrant.
“Thank you: The New Haven Community, New Haven Police Homicide Unit, New Haven Police
Uniformed Services Division, Yale University Police Investigative Services Unit, New Haven State’s
Attorney’s Office and Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” said Sergeant Bertram Ettienne – NHPD
Officer in Charge of Investigative Services.