NEW BRITAIN - The family of 27-year old Alice Figueroa spoke out for the first time since the suspect in her murder was captured.
Benjamin Morales was arrested in South Carolina on Tuesday.
The family said they are extremely relieved to know Morales was finally caught. They are hoping to shed a positive light on this tragedy by spreading awareness about domestic violence.
“What kind of person are you? I just don’t get it. I just want him to tell me why,” said Amarrillis Martinez, niece of Alice Figueroa.
Martinez said she was there the day of Figueroa’s death. She recalled waiting in the car with her aunt’s three children outside of the apartments on Elam Street.
Martinez added Morales, the father of two of Figueroa’s children approached her demanding to see his children. She said Morales then went into the apartments and it was minutes later when he acted out.
“So then he came back out and he went in front of the car and he pointed the gun at me and said ‘te voy a matar a ti tambien *******’ which means I’m going to kill you too,” added Martinez.
More than one month later, SWAT members in Georgetown County, South Carolina surrounded a trailer where Morales had been hiding inside a refrigerator.
Figueroa’s sisters said at one point they had almost given up hope until Tuesday.
“They showed me that they never stopped looking for him. I screamed. I just threw myself on the bed and I started screaming and crying and you know, it was very very emotional,” said Michelle Alcantara, sister of Alice Figueroa.
To move forward from the pain, the Figueroa family said they are looking to be advocates for domestic violence awareness since they said Alice was trying to get out of the abusive relationship.
“Him getting caught is like we’re re-living losing her because it was like somewhat had healed, but then a part of us when he got caught yesterday kind of like opened those wounds,” said Genesis Figueroa, sister of Alice Figueroa.
New Britain Police have not provided updates on when Morales will be extradited back to Connecticut.
The family will be holding a vigil on Saturday where the public will be invited.