A first grade teacher from Atlanta who traveled to Mexico on vacation last month was found dead by the roadside 10 days after her last visit to Guadalajara, leading to her boyfriend’s arrest.
The body of Alexandra Morales, 24, who taught at Benefield Elementary School in Lawrenceville, Georgia, was discovered in a rental car on November 9th.
Morales was last seen on October 30 when she attended a concert by the band Codiciado at the Telmex venue in Zapopan, five miles outside of Guadalajara, Jalisco.
Teacher Alexandra Morales, 24 (left), from Atlanta, was found dead on November 9th in a rental car in Guadalajara, Mexico. Her friend Fidel Barragan, 28 (right), was arrested on charges of enforced disappearance
Mexican authorities subsequently arrested Morales’ friend, 28-year-old Fidel Barragan, on charges of enforced disappearance, but local law enforcement did not rule out more serious charges, including murder.
Barragan is due to appear in court for the first time in Mexico on Friday.
In an exclusive conversation with Telemundo Atlanta, Morales’ uncle Ostin Cuenca said that Barragan’s arrest is just the beginning and that others may have played a role in her death. He called on the US authorities to follow up his niece’s case to ensure justice is served.
Cuenca said that after Morales attended the October 30 concert, her family tried to call her but their phones were turned off. On November 5, she was officially reported missing by family members.
Morales was last seen alive on October 30th at a concert at the Telmex Arena in Zapopan, Mexico (pictured)
Morales’ father and one of her brothers traveled to Mexico to transport their body to the United States for the funeral.
Benefield Elementary School principal Shonda Gipson-Stevens told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Morales took a personal vacation in October but did not return to her classroom as planned last week.
After graduating from Georgia State University, she was hired as a first grade teacher in 2019. After learning of Morales’ death, Gipson-Stevens sent his parents a letter telling them the tragic news.
After being unable to contact her, Morales’ family reported her missing on November 5
“We know this loss affects many in our school community and we want to support our students and staff during this difficult time,” wrote Gipson-Stevens. “Our counselors are here to listen, speak, help with the questions, and help with the emotions that come with this type of loss.”
Mother Maria Palacios told CBS46 that her six-year-old daughter burst into tears when she heard her teacher was not coming back.
Palacios said her child has a special affinity for Morales because she is their first bilingual teacher.
Morales has been teaching first grade at Benefield Elementary School in Lawrenceville, Georgia since 2019
“It was very important to her to have a bilingual Latina teacher,” said Palacios. ‘She was the first teacher she personally identified with, and it was the first teacher my daughter said,’ I want to be a teacher, like Ms. Morales. ‘
One of the Morales Sorority Sisters started a GoFundMe campaign to help her family with their latest expenses.
“Alexa was adored by her parents and loved by her two brothers,” wrote Gabriela Rojas in the description. “She was passionate about adventure and traveling the world was her joy. She has been the most caring teacher to all of her students and her first grade babies will miss her dearly.
