Accused Killer at Muckleshoot Casino Faces $5 Million Bail for Random Stabbing Incident
A male who killed a stranger at an American casino decided on his victim while on the gaming floor due to his original target not being present, police have stated.
The perpetrator, identified as Ricky Fuentes (31 years old), appeared in court on the following day after he confessed to officers that he had utilized a box cutter to slice the victim's neck, as per multiple news updates.
Fuentes had traveled by bus to the Muckleshoot Casino in Auburn, Washington on Saturday night, with plans to kill a friend of his at the gambling venue, based on law enforcement records.
At approximately 10 PM, he entered the premises and attempted to find his intended target. However, this individual couldn't be located, prompting Fuentes to "start searching for someone else to kill in [his associate's] stead," as shared by police.
Perceived as an Aggressor
Fuentes then observed a man playing craps at a gaming table. He perceived the man as "a bully," so Fuentes quietly approached him and stabbed him in the neck, as per police reports.
The victim lost his life at the casino due to his injuries.
Fuentes discarded the box cutter near the crime scene and was promptly apprehended by security guards at around 1:30 AM. He was then transferred to the Auburn Police Department and taken into custody at the King County Jail. Authorities plan to charge him with first-degree murder, according to Seattle's KING television station.
A judge established probable cause for the allegation and set bail at $5M at Fuentes' court hearing.
A prosecutor explained during the court hearing that "it was random. It was violent. It occurred in front of a large group of people," arguing for the substantial bail amount, as reported by KOLO.
It was unclear how Fuentes managed to bring the box cutter into the casino.
Victim's Identity
The victim was identified as Brandon Larson, 29 years old, by Liyh Miller-Espinoza who spoke to Seattle television station KOMO. The pair were reportedly dating.
Miller-Espinoza recounted that she spoke to Larson over the phone approximately thirty minutes prior to the stabbing. Thirty minutes later, he called her back, but he could barely respond, which she found unusual.
"That's not normal for him," she shared with KING TV. "It was not normal for him to not respond to me."
Later on Sunday, she realized that Larson had been randomly selected and stabbed.
The relationship between them held no conflicts: "There was nothing possible between the two of them," Miller-Espinoza shared with KOMO. "Brandon was not the type to start drama. He just loved me. He wanted to get home to me."
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Source: www.casino.org
