Viswa Vanapalli
A 911 call around Christmas time in 2005 led the authorities to a horrific discovery at the Sarinanas’ home in California. The bodies of teenagers Conrad and Ricky Morales were discovered within a day of each other, and the circumstances surrounding their deaths left everyone devastated. Investigation Discovery’s ‘The Killer Christmas Confession’ chronicles a tragic tale of abuse that the boys suffered at the hands of the people they trusted. So, let’s look into what happened then, shall we?
How Did Conrad and Ricky Morales Die?
Conrad was a young boy living with his aunt and uncle, Cathy and Raul Sarinana. He moved in with them in Randle, Washington, after his mother started having issues with drugs and the law. Months later, his younger brother, Ricky, also came to stay with them. Things seemed to be going well at the outset, with the Sarinanas having two young kids of their own. But on October 8, 2005, Cathy reported 13-year-old Conrad missing. While he was not found at the time, the family moved to Corona, California, soon after.
On December 26, 2005, Raul called 911 to report that Ricky was hurt and maybe dead. He was found in a closet with a blanket covering him. Ricky’s autopsy painted a terrifying picture of what happened to him. He had several blunt force injuries, scars on his scalp, and what looked like whipping injuries. Ricky also had multiple cigarette burns all over his body, some of which were months old. A day later, Conrad’s skeletal remains were found encased in concrete in a trashcan at the house.
Who Killed Conrad and Ricky Morales?
After Raul, then 38-years-old, was taken into custody, he told the police that Ricky had not been eating on December 25, 2005. Later on, he asked the 11-year-old to clean the bathroom since they had relatives coming over. However, Raul felt that Ricky was too slow, leading to a round of “discipline.” Raul admitted to kicking Ricky in the chest several times and then putting him in the closet.
However, the autopsy showed that Ricky had been suffering abuse for a long time. According to the show, Cathy was the only smoker in the house, and Ricky had cigarette burns on his body, leading authorities to believe that Cathy, then 28-years-old, was also involved. The police learned of Conrad only after a relative told them of him. A day after Ricky’s death was reported, the authorities searched the Corona home and made a shocking discovery in the carport. Conrad’s remains were in a trashcan encased in concrete that the Sarinanas had brought from Washington when they moved.
The authorities believed that the couple killed Conrad in Washington before moving to Corona. According to the show, a search of their house in Randle showed blood spatter inside the boys’ room, leading to the belief that Conrad was killed inside. Conrad’s journal was later found and had entries regarding his problems with bedwetting and how their life with the Sarinanas was. The show further added that Conrad also mentioned being hit by Raul and Cathy.
Where Are Cathy and Raul Sarinana now?
Raul Sarinana told the police that he didn’t mean to kill Ricky, adding that the 11-year-old didn’t obey his aunt and was disrespectful. After the discoveries, Raul and Cathy Sarinana were charged with murder and child endangerment with a special circumstance of inflicting torture. The couple was convicted in April 2009 in California and was sentenced to death sometime later.
Authorities in Washington didn’t prosecute Cathy and Raul in relation to Conrad’s death because of the sentence received in California. Prison records indicate that Cathy is incarcerated at Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, Madera County. On the other hand, Raul remains on death row at the California State Prison in Corcoran, Kings County.
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