Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Puerto Rico
End of Watch: Friday, January 5, 1979
Age: 33
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: January 5, 1979
Weapon Used: Handgun; Revolver
Suspect Info: At large
Correctional Officer Angel "Moralito" Morales and Correctional Officer Anibal Ramos-Feliciano were shot and killed inside the Bayamon Correctional Complex by an inmate who was attempting to escape with two other inmates.
The inmate had previously been convicted of two murders, including the murder of Correctional Officer Irving Gonzalez during a previous escape on May 3rd, 1975. As Officer Morales and Officer Ramos-Feliciano entered the gallery area of Annex 308 for a routine inspection they were attacked by the three inmates. The inmate who had previously murdered Officer Gonzalez had obtained a revolver that had been smuggled into the prison and shot both officers in the head, killing them.
All three inmates were able to escape after climbing over the wall of the prison and shooting at the guards in the watchtower. Two of the inmates were arrested several days later but the inmate who had murdered Officer Gonzalez, Officer Morales, and Officer Ramos-Feliciano was never apprehended and remains at large.
Officer Morales was survived by his wife and one child.
In 2010 the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation renamed their training academy the Ramos and Morales Correctional Officers Academy.