Karla Jackelin Morales pleaded guilty and was sentenced on Aug. 11 to 30 years in prison for luring a 24-year-old man to a remote area, where five MS-13 gang members brutally attacked him with a machete, shot and killed him.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, and the Houston Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the conviction and sentence.
Morales, a 24-year-old resident of Houston, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in Harris County for her role in the 2018 killing of Jose Alfonso Villanueva, also 24.
Morales lured Villanueva to a field in Spring where the MS-13 members were waiting to kill him. She told him they were going to smoke marijuana to celebrate his birthday.
Instead, the gang members, who have all been convicted for their roles in the murder, slashed Villanueva with a machete and then shot him as he tried to run away. They were reportedly angry with him because he had disrespected them in a rap battle.
His body was found about a week later.
(Learn More about the crime. Courtesy of CBS New York and YouTube. Posted on Apr 11, 2022.)
“This woman knowingly lured an innocent man to be murdered by five MS-13 gang members in the most brutal and depraved manner that you could imagine, sending shockwaves and fear throughout the Houston community,” explained HSI Houston acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Kurtz.
“By working in conjunction with our local law enforcement partners and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, we were able to hold all of the individuals responsible for this horrifying tragedy accountable and hopefully bring some closure to the victim’s family.”
Morales was scheduled for trial in October 2021, but she jumped bond and cut off her ankle monitor to escape detection. She was rearrested in Houston about nine months later.
(A woman charged with a horrific machete murder by MS-13 gang members took off on the run, and a reward was offered for tips leading to her capture. Courtesy of KHOU 11 and YouTube. Posted on Feb 10, 2022.)
“This defendant jumped bail in 2021 to escape the consequences of her actions, but she was re-arrested and, on the eve of trial this week, pleaded guilty for what she did,” added Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg.
“This was a premeditated and planned out attack, and we have now been able to get justice for the victim’s family.”
Assistant District Attorney Jason Sanchez, a DA’s Organized Crime Division chief, prosecuted the case with Assistant District Attorney Neha Mehtaji.
“This should be a cautionary tale to anyone who thinks they may want to join a gang that it doesn’t matter your age, gender or anything else,” Sanchez said.
“We will prosecute you for the crimes you commit.”
HSI is a directorate of ICE and the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), whose Blue Campaign was also recognized in the 2020 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program, and is responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move.
HSI’s workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries.
HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.
HSI Honolulu SAC John Tobon Honored in 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards
American Security Today’s Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards is the preeminent U.S. Homeland Security Awards Program, and now entering its Eighth Year, continues to recognize industry leaders of Physical and Border Security, Cybersecurity, Emergency Preparedness – Management and Response, Law Enforcement, First Responders, as well as federal, state and municipal government agencies in the acknowledgment of their outstanding efforts to Keep our Nation Secure.
John F. Tobon
Excellence in Homeland Security
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In his position as Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Honolulu, John Tobon oversees HSI criminal investigations in an area of responsibility encompassing the four island counties of the State of Hawaii, four U.S. territories, three Freely Associated States and 12 Pacific Island nations.
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Tobon is a recognized subject matter expert on money laundering and financial crime, and his analysis of money laundering issues and risks often appears in national and international television and print media.
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During his over 20-year law enforcement career Tobon has participated in numerous high-profile money-laundering investigations targeting transnational criminal organizations and has helped shape international anti-money laundering policy as a member of U.S. delegations.
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He regularly shares his knowledge and expertise at conferences and training sessions attended by public and private industry personnel worldwide.
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Tobon is an Adjunct Professor at Florida International University’s School of International and Public Affairs, where he lectures on Global Financial Crimes.
