Michiana Unsolved: The Homicide of Alexis Morales

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) - It’s a case that continues to haunt our community as we wait for answers.

A young woman and her baby reported missing. Days later, one of them was found alive, the other found dead.

In Monday’s Michiana Unsolved, Christine Karsten looks into the homicide of Alexis Morales.

It was around 7:30 p.m. on April 19, 2022, when South Bend Police were called to the 400 block of S. Kaley Street.

“There was someone who was going through the alleyway to pick up someone on a regular basis. They noticed the car had been there the day before. They noticed the car was there again. And so, they were like, this doesn’t seem right, and they called it in,” said Lt. Kayla Miller with Michiana Crime Stoppers.

Inside that SUV, 27-year-old Alexis Morales left for dead after being shot multiple times. The shooter having no regard for the five-month-old still inside, alive.

“Messiah was not injured at the time; however, he was treated at a local hospital just to ensure that his wellbeing was safe and sound,” Lt. Miller said.

Messiah still being alive can only be described as a miracle as the days leading up to this discovery were very cold. Certainly not ideal for a 5-month-old, stuck inside a car with no food, no water and no mom.

“It is a miracle he did not suffer any type of major or longer-term injuries from this. The officers that responded, this was one of those cases that just broke them down as well,” Lt. Miller added.

As police continue to encourage our community to submit tips, we do have to talk about the days leading up to Alexis and Messiah being found. It all started on April 13 when Alexis’s family called the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department reporting her and her son missing. No one talked to them since the day prior, and that was unusual.

As the investigation got underway, the sheriff’s department requested a Silver Alert on April 14. The Indiana State Police denied that request as it did not fit the criteria.

“At that time, while it was uncharacteristic for Alexis to not check in with family, there were no clear signs of danger,” Lt. Miller explained.

Police in Elkhart continued their investigation and were able to pull more cell phone data and more information on her last location. That turned out to be the Kelly Park area in South Bend. South Bend police responded but still didn’t find anything.

With this new information, Elkhart police requested another Silver Alert on April 18. That request was granted. 24 hours later, South Bend Police located Alexis’s SUV with her and Messiah inside.

“What I can say is, it was not on the 19th when Alexis was killed. We do believe she was there longer than that just one day, which means baby Messiah was also there longer than just that one day,” Lt. Miller said.

If you have any information on who killed Alexis, you are encouraged to contact Michiana Crime Stoppers. Remember, every single tip is 100-percent anonymous. If your tip leads to the solving of this case or an arrest, you are eligible for a $2,000 cash reward.

You can watch Christine’s full interview with Lt. Miller in the video attached below:

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