Steven Morales

By Roger Lanse

Steven Morales, 36, of Silver City, evaded law enforcement again Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 27. Morales is a suspect in the murder of 22-year-old Esteban Ortega, whose body was found Jan. 14, inside a vehicle near Pinos Altos.

According to a Doña Ana County Sheriff's Department press release, Morales was reportedly driving a Honda CRV on I-25 when he stopped at a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint. When agents asked him to pull over for a secondary inspection, Morales told a passenger, the release said, that because he was a felon in possession of a firearm, he wasn't going to pull over for additional inspection. Instead, Morales accelerated and sped north on I-25, prompting a pursuit, which reached speeds up to 100 mph.

A woman, who was the owner of the car, and her one-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter were in the vehicle with Morales.

Exiting I-25 at Hatch, the release stated that Morales drove on Franklin Street through heavy traffic as students at Hatch Valley High School were being dismissed for the day, stopped the vehicle in the 100 block of Canyon Street and fled on foot.

Although the DACSD deployed its Special Response Team, according to the release, and began a search of the area, Morales remains at large.

Charges pending against Morales in this incident are aggravated fleeing, child abuse and felon in possession of a firearm.

The manhunt for Morales in Dona Ana County continues under the direction of the U.S. Marshal Service, with assistance from the DACSD, U.S. Border Patrol, New Mexico State Police, and the Hatch Police Department. In regard to the homicide, the Grant County Sheriff's Department is the lead agency and is being assisted by the Silver City Police Department and U.S. Marshal Service.

Those with tips can call Crimestoppers anonymously at 575-538-5254. A reward for information leading to his arrest is available.