2 Charged in connection with murder of New Bedford teen

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. – 15-year-old Mateo Morales was killed in a triple stabbing in the City of New Bedford Wednesday night. Two suspects have since been arrested in connection to the teens death.

21-year-old Luis Rafael Class of New Bedford was charged overnight with accessory to murder after the fact and assault and battery. He was arraigned in New Bedford District Court Thursday morning and held without bail. He is due back in court on September 28.

A 16-year-old boy has also been charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

A memorial is growing at the scene of the murder in the area of Middle and Chancery Streets. Candles are placed on the sidewalk spelling out the name Teo.

"We had just seen him a couple of hours before. We were with him before it happened. We left my house, dropped him off at home and a couple of hours later we got the call. What had happened. I didn’t believe it,” said Shawnte Silva. "He was a quiet kid. Once you got to know him he was funny, very goofy and outgoing. He was so smart."

"I’m still trying to make sense of it. You can’t,” said a friend of Morales’ Eric Rudolph. "I hope the law enforcement out here does their job. And, you know what I’m saying, people pay for this."

New Bedford Police, Massachusetts State Police Deceives assigned to this office and Homicide Unit prosecutors continue to actively investigate the homicide. No one has been charged yet with murder.

The two other victims stabbed on Wednesday night, a 16 and 21-year-old, are said to have suffered none life-threatening injuries.

(C) WLNE 2016