Mitchell Maya Morales

Mitchell Maya Morales was a young man with a clear plan and a quiet determination. At 20 years old, the Hispanic / Latino man was known to his friends and family as a talented and ambitious barber, a man who was, in the words of a friend, “born to be a barber.” His mother had bought him his first clippers when he was young, and he honed his craft by practicing on anyone he could. For three years, he worked diligently at a barbershop in his Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, driven by the mantra, “Time is money; no days off.” Mitchell’s goal was to open his own barbershop, seeing his skill as a way to build a better life for his family. He was studying to take the state exam for his barber’s license and had just organized a successful barbering competition three days before he was killed. His sister, Meneysse, recalled telling him how proud she was at the event, and he hugged her, saying one day they would open a shop together.

The night of December 8, 2015, shattered those dreams. At about 8 p.m., Mitchell had just walked out of his home on the 700 block of North Breed Street to run errands when gunshots echoed through the area. He was struck by the gunfire but managed to run approximately 300 feet before collapsing on the 700 block of Cornwell Street. After he was shot, Mitchell called his girlfriend, Ivette Ramirez, telling her, "They shot me." Residents found him in the street, and he was rushed to a local hospital. In the early hours of the following day, Wednesday, December 9, 2015, Mitchell was pronounced dead at 1:10 a.m. from the gunshot wound.

The investigation was launched by the Los Angeles Police Department’s Hollenbeck Division detectives. According to Detective Jose Ramirez, Mitchell’s roommate heard the gunshots and went outside but couldn’t find him. The motive for the shooting was a mystery to investigators. “Right now, we don’t have a whole lot of information as to the motive,” Detective Ramirez stated in the weeks following the murder. Police were searching for leads and urged the public to come forward with any information. To encourage tips, the Los Angeles City Council approved a $50,000 reward for any information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for Mitchell’s death.

The loss was devastating to his loved ones, who described him as a hardworking and peaceful person. Though he could be quiet and even shy, his talent with clippers spoke volumes. His friend and fellow barber student, Jose Rodas, said, “The moment you see him cut, it speaks louder than his own words.” His girlfriend remembered his close relationship with her son, Jayden, and how much she missed seeing them together. His sister Meneysse said her brother was always committed to his job and his vision for the future.

In the wake of his death, the family struggled with funeral expenses. They organized a fundraiser and barbering competition to honor his memory and raise money, but the event was tragically disrupted by the sound of nearby gunfire, a painful reminder of the violence that took Mitchell’s life. As of February 2016, the case remained unsolved, with police still seeking a motive and searching for the person who cut short the life of a young man with a promising future. The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information about the murder of Mitchell Maya Morales is asked to call Hollenbeck Division detectives at (323) 342-8964. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.