BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – Update (1 p.m., Wednesday): Michael Morales, accused of killing his common-law wife and a 37-year-old man on Tuesday, has been charged with two counts of capital murder, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said on Wednesday.
The capital murder charges carry a $1 million bond each.
Original: Deputies arrested a 36-year-old suspect in connection with two murders that happened within hours of each other, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said.
Michael Morales is facing two charges of murder after confessing to the murders of another man and his common-law wife, Salazar said.
The sheriff said deputies were dispatched to a home in the 1900 block of Sandy Circle for a homicide call Tuesday morning.
A child had found the 37-year-old victim dead outside of the home, Salazar said.
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Salazar said the first murder happened around midnight Tuesday. He said Morales went to the home to find the victim to charge a debt that was owed for marijuana.
An argument ensued between the suspect and the victim, which then escalated to a struggle between the two, the sheriff said.
The struggle moved from inside the home to outside. Morales then took out a screwdriver and stabbed the victim in the upper body, Salazar said.
Morales injured his eye during the struggle.
He then went to his home in the 900 block of Mogford. Salazar said Morales called emergency medical services, and the suspect was taken to the hospital for treatment.
While at the hospital, Morales lied to personnel about how he got the injury, Salazar said.
Morales did not sleep in his home, but he showed up Tuesday morning and discussed what had happened hours before with his common-law wife, Salazar said.
The woman, 45, became irate after hearing about the murder and an argument ensued between her and Morales, Salazar said.
Salazar said the argument then became physical, and Morales grabbed a rifle and shot the woman at least once in the upper body.
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A 25-year-old witness who was at the home told deputies Morales took off in a vehicle and rammed a gate in the property.
Deputies caught up to Morales a few miles away and took him into custody.
During questioning, Morales confessed to both murders, Salazar said.