Joseph Morrillo was a member of the Tohono O'odham Nation. He was murdered on October 27, 2007,he just turned 24 two weeks earlier. Two men were arrested for the murder of my brother Joseph. They were charged with murder, drive by shooting, and 6 counts of endangerment. They were later cleared of the murder charge. They were recently sentenced (the stories are below) both received 15.75 years.

The following is a portion of my letter to judge Howard Fell. Since we were family to the victim we had a right to submit letters called Victim Impact Statements. - Vivian Enos Joseph Ignacio Morrillo was a son, a brother, a nephew, a cousin, a friend and last but not least a proud father. There are many people who were blessed to have known my brother. Many will tell you that he had a sense of humor, a great personality, and he was a good friend that’s what many people liked that about him. They will also tell you how helpful he was always willing to lend a hand when you needed help with something. Joseph was many things to many people, but to me he was my baby brother who cared about and loved his family. At times Joseph would try to be an overprotective “big brother” to me when in reality I was his “big sister”. I will always love my brother Joseph I will miss him everyday. Every holiday since Joseph’s passing is a painful reminder that he is gone. It hurts even more when his daughter is with us on those special occasions without her father. When I look at my niece’s face I see my brother. She will never get to know her father. She was as they say “the apple of his eye”. He constantly carried her around in his arms, I believe she was spoiled by him and now she may have no memory of him at all when she gets older. All we have left today is some pictures and stories that we will share with her. I wonder what goes on in her little mind about the absence of her father. Does she realize he is gone from her life forever? This means he will not be there to take her to her first day of school, to meet her first boyfriend, to attend her high graduation , or to give her away the day she gets married. This also saddens my heart and all I can do is pray for her, love her and keep her father’s memory alive.

November 9, 2007
Gang unit probing fatal shooting books man, predicts more arrests
Author: DALE QUINN, ARIZONA DAILY STAR
Section: TUCSON/REGION
Page: B4

A Tucson man was arrested Wednesday afternoon in connection with a fatal shooting late last month, an official said.


Marcos A. Felix, 20, was booked into the Pima County jail on suspicion of first-degree murder and drive-by shooting, said Officer Frank Amado, a Tucson Police Department spokesman.

Detectives expect to make more arrests in the case, Amado said. The gang unit is investigating because some of those involved in the homicide may have gang ties.

"The argument was a minor altercation with gang overtones that escalated into the shooting," Amado said.

Investigators won't release whether or not Felix fired the gunshot that killed Joseph I. Morrillo, Amado said, and the details that led to his arrest weren't immediately available.

The shooting occurred about 12:40 a.m. Oct. 27 near West Valencia Road and South 12th Avenue. Officers found Morrillo with gunshot wounds, lying in the back of a pickup truck at his home in the 700 block of West Calle Aragon.

The other occupants of the truck were with him when police arrived, Amado said.

Investigators learned that Morrillo and some friends were in the pickup at a convenience store near South Sixth Avenue and Valencia Road when they got into an argument with people in two other vehicles, Amado said.

The pickup, with Morrillo and others in the bed and a few in the cab, left the store's parking lot, Amado said. The two vehicles followed them and shots were fired, Amado said. The vehicles were described as a red sport utility vehicle missing its rear window and a passenger car.

Investigators are working to determine if more than one person fired at the pickup, Amado said. No one in the truck was armed, he said.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call 911 or 88-CRIME.

* Contact reporter Dale Quinn at 629-9412 or dquinn@azstarnet.com.
Copyright 2007 The Arizona Daily Star



Driver in deadly Tucson driveby gets 15-year prison term