Santa Barbara – Raymond Victor Morua, 32, recently disavowed by his former employer Congresswoman Lois Caps pursuant to his December 6th arrest for felony DUI hit-and-run as earlier reported here, has had his bail rescinded and has been rebooked on new and more serious charges.
The pedestrian victim struck by Morua just after midnight on the fateful night, Mallory Rae Dies, 27, was pulled off medical life support at the request of her family and shortly thereafter died of her injuries. It was at that time, according to Santa Barbara Police Department Public Information Officer Sgt. Riley Harwood, that “charges against the alleged driver were re-filed and he is now accused of murder.”
In her statement to the media in what has become a high-profile case due to Morua’s position as a representative of Capps and his well-publicized political work on behalf of veteran’s issues, Santa Barbara District Attorney Joyce Dudley indicated that he is “now being charged with what is known as a ‘Watson murder’,” which she defined as case law precedent in which drivers in certain DUI circumstances can be charged with murder and/or manslaughter. Morua, having had prior grand theft and DUI convictions, including a 2006 DUI hit-and-run and a second DUI three months later, qualifies for the murder charges now filed against him.
Mallory Rae Dies
While sidestepping the issue of the rationale for employing someone with Morua’s criminal background within her inner circle, Congresswoman Capps issued a formal—if redundant–statement upon learning of his current victim’s death: “This tragedy tugs at the heart of all of us in the community….This senseless and avoidable tragedy is one that all of us in the community will struggle with for a long time.”
If convicted of the current charges against him—which now include vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in death—Morua faces a sentence of 15 years to life.
Photo: Courtesy Facebook, Santa Barbara County Jail Booking, U.S. House of Representatives
Read more:
KSBY: SB CO DA explains rarely used murder charge
Noozhawk: Murder charge filed against Congresswoman’s ex-aide
SB Independent: Lois Capps representative arrested for DUI hit-and-run
