Mayor’s Office Raises Reward to $22,000 for Info Leading to Arrest of Jesus Morales’ Killer

Mayor Michael Bloomberg is offering an additional $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person, or persons, responsible the Jan. 9 murder of Jesus Morales on 18th Street, according to a statement from the NYPD.

As of Jan. 24, the total reward for the South Slope robbery-murder, which occurred in the confines of the 72nd Precinct, is now at $22,000.

The victim, Jesus “Jesse” Morales, 67-year-old Long Island resident, owned Ramirez Travel on Fifth Avenue near 16th Street for over 20 years, but was killed during a robbery on 18th Street near his business on Jan. 9. At around 7:15 p.m. on that night, a crook, clad in a black mask and black clothing, pushed him to the ground where he cracked his head on the pavement, and died later at Lutheran Medical Center. Before running off, the crook robbed him for his watch, wallet, and wedding ring.

Anyone with information in regards to this homicide is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS. The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at www.NYPDCrimeStoppers.com or texting their tips to 274637(CRIMES) then enter TIP577.