Chief Williams and the entire Ansonia Police Department would like to thank the jury in the Morales case for their service and verdict in finding Jose Morales guilty. We would also like to thank the Ansonia/Milford Judicial District led by State’s Attorney Margaret Kelley, in particular Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Howard Stein, Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Marc Durso, Inspector Butch Hyatt, Inspector Herb Johnson, Inspector Robert Winkler, Paralegal Chelsea Meehan and all the staff for their dedication and commitment to presenting this case to the jury and securing a conviction. Finally, thank you to the residents of Ansonia for their support and belief in the Ansonia Police Department to protect and serve our City.
While the conviction of Jose Morales closes one part of this case, we continue to investigate the disappearance of Vanessa Morales.
In December 2019, the Ansonia Police Department launched a homicide investigation after 43-year-old Christine Holloway was found murdered in her home. Alongside the devastating discovery, investigators also found that Holloway’s 15-month-old daughter, Vanessa Morales, was missing. The child’s father, Jose Morales, was later arrested and charged with Christine Holloway’s murder, but the disappearance of Vanessa remained—and still remains—unsolved.
Over the following years, the case continued to weigh heavily on the Ansonia community. In a 2022 update, police emphasized that while Jose Morales had been charged in the homicide, the search for Vanessa was still very much active. Authorities released both original and age-progressed images of Vanessa in hopes the public might help bring closure. The department urged anyone with information to come forward, stressing their determination to uncover the truth of what happened to the missing toddler.
Now, with the jury’s recent guilty verdict in the homicide case against Jose Morales, one chapter of this tragedy has reached resolution. The Ansonia Police Department has expressed gratitude to the jurors, prosecutors, investigators, and the community for their efforts and support. However, they continue to investigate Vanessa’s disappearance, underscoring that justice for Christine is only part of the story—the search for Vanessa is not over.