Document: Man shot and killed alleged stalker with borrowed AR-15 rifle
The alleged shooter blamed for a deadly shooting west of Las Cruces over the weekend has been charged with an open count of murder, officials with the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday.
Rueben P. Moralez, 25, of the 700 block of Long River Lane, is being held without bond, officials said. Moralez allegedly confessed to killing his stalker with a borrowed rifle, court documents state.
Deputies were called to the 700 block of Long River Lane, just off Bamert Road, at approximately 1:20 p.m. on Saturday. When they arrived, they saw 28-year-old Michael R. Kassis on the ground suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Kassis was pronounced dead at the scene, deputies said.
A news release states Moralez was kneeling over Kassis when deputies arrived at the home. Moralez told the detectives Kassis allegedly sold him marijuana on about 10 occasions.
During questioning, Moralez claimed Kassis had recently started to pressure him to buy more drugs, like methamphetamine and cocaine. Moralez said Kassis also sent him “threatening text messages” to his phone and called him persistently, deputies said.
Moralez told detectives he feared Kassis because Kassis threatened to shoot him and his family and obtained an AR-15 style pistol from the friend.
Moralez further stated Kassis went to his home Saturday and demanded Moralez come out. Kassis allegedly opened the door to Moralez’s Honda, which was parked on the property. A court document obtained by ABC-7 states Moralez claimed he told Kassis, “What are you doing? I told you not to be here.”
The document states Moralez stood at his front door, pointed a rifle at Kassis’ feet and ordered Kassis to put his hands up in the air.
As Kassis was walking from the vehicle toward the front of Moralez’s home, Moralez allegedly fired a weapon at Kassis, sheriff’s deputies said. Moralez allegedly told deputies he feared Kassis was reaching towards his waistband and shot Kassis three times.
According to the document, Moralez told deputies that after he shot Kassis, the victim told him, “you shot me and I wasn’t even armed.”
The investigation into Saturday’s shooting led detectives to the discovery of an AR-15 style pistol allegedly on the table inside Moralez’s home. Detectives say Kassis appeared to be unarmed.
