Slain Border Patrol agent’s colleagues, friends say tragic loss has brought them together

Those who knew fallen Border Patrol agent Isaac Morales best said he was loving, caring and one of the funniest people around

“He had the ability to just walk into any room and light it up,” said agent Luis Silva, Morales’ partner and best friend. “Everyone that I’ve been talking to recently, and I know personally — he was always smiling, laughing…he was always the one to keep them upbeat.”

Police said Morales was stabbed in the eye by 39-year-old Hisaias Justo Lopez, on Saturday May 20 outside a bar in Far East El Paso.

Morales was transported to Del Sol Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead May 24, 2017.

“It’s been hard for everybody that knew him, and everybody that worked with him. We lost a special person,” Silva said. “He was a fighter and those few days that he was in the hospital, I think it kind of allowed us to be with him one last time, to say goodbye to him.”

Silva and Morales go way back. The two both went to San Elizario High School together. Silva said he’s always been close with Morales’ family.

“I think it’s harder once you know the family, and you see what they’re going through,” Silva said. “I think in the end though, it’s brought everyone closer together.”

Acting Executive Officer for the El Paso Sector Jorge Reynosa said Morales was the ideal agent.

“The Border Patrol is a brotherhood and a sisterhood and we all feel its a great loss — an agent of his caliber,” Reynosa said. “We are very saddened, and pretty shocked because of the events.”

Lopez will remain jailed while he gets a new attorney.

Tuesday’s bond hearing was postponed after Lopez’s court-appointed attorney, Roberto Ramos, withdrew from the case.

Morales will be laid to rest on Thursday at Evergreen East Cemetery.