A deadly Cinco de Mayo
What is normally a day of celebration for the city’s Mexican American community turned into a night of violence and tragedy at a south Tulsa apartment. Two Tulsa women lost their lives when a Cinco de Mayo party turned deadly last Saturday night, and their alleged killer is now behind bars. Pricila Ochoa, 22, and Amber Dawn Foreman, 27, were attending a party at the apartment of Rolando Morales when an argument reportedly took place between Foreman and Morales.
A number of children were said to have been present at the party at Morales’ residence at Westminster apartment near 51st and Memorial, including Morales’ own kids. A witness told police that Morales became angry after Foreman asked one of Morales’ children to refill her drink, but this version of events has not been confirmed. One of the party guests told reporters that Morales at one point came out of a room brandishing a shotgun and most of those at the party fled the premises. Gunshots were reportedly heard sometime between 11:30 pm and midnight.
It is believed that Morales knew Foreman, but it is not known if he had ever previously met Ochoa.
Ochoa was described as a delightful young woman, a Dreamer full of life who was dearly loved by friends and family.
Sgt. Dave Walker of the Tulsa Police Department (TPD) said that Morales, 35, contacted his ex-wife telling her to come and pick up their children because he had done something very bad. Walker said the TPD is investing whether Morales may have texted photos of the victims to his former spouse or other family members, saying he planned to dismember and dispose of the bodies.
After the murders, Morales allegedly set fire to Foreman’s rental care.
Officers arrived on the scene around 11:30 am on Sunday, May 6, and took Morales into custody following a brief standoff. Once inside the apartment, the officers came across the grisly scene of the two victims inside the bathroom. Police said Morales at first confessed to killing 17 or 18 other people, but later said this was not true.
Foreman and Ochoa are Tulsa’s 12th and 13th homicide victims of 2018, the latest casualties of deadly gun violence sweeping the nation, leaving two families to grieve for their lost loved ones, young women whose lives were cut short just as they were beginning. (La Semana)