BENTON COUNTY, ARKANSAS, Ark. — A Benton County trial is wrapping up for a man accused of jumping into a woman's car in a Walmart parking lot, forcing her to drive to a different location at gunpoint, and raping her in November 2024.

A jury found Marco Morales , 21, guilty of rape, terroristic threatening, and aggravated assault on Thursday, Sept. 18 — all with a firearm enhancement charge. This decision came after the victim took the stand Thursday.

Morales is still awaiting sentencing.

After Morales was found guilty on all charges on Sept. 18, his father took the stand as a character witness. He said in part, "What [Marco] did was wrong, I don't know what pushed him to do that. I am really sorry for what happened to the other person. No one deserves to go through that ... He needs

See Full Page