Auburn Police arrested a 31-year-old man on April 21 for stabbing and killing a 29-year-old man at the Muckleshoot Casino Resort in a “random” act.
“Early investigation shows this stabbing was a completely random act,” according to a statement from the Auburn Police Department. “Detectives believe the victim and suspect had no contact before [the] incident.”
According to Casey McNerthney, director of communications for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the King County Superior Court found probable cause for a felony charge of murder in the first degree against 31-year-old Ricky Josh Fuentes, of Lacey, at his first appearance hearing on April 22.
According to the Auburn Police Department, police responded to the Muckleshoot Casino Resort at 2402 Auburn Way South at around 1:30 a.m. April 21.
According to documents, Auburn Police were first dispatched to the casino for a suspicious circumstances call, after an unidentified caller called 911 and shouted “he’s bleeding out!” prior to disconnecting.
Further calls from Muckleshoot security reported a man suffered an injury as a result of a stabbing, with a suspect detained.
Upon arrival at the casino, Muckleshoot employees led Auburn police to a gaming area within the establishment where the 29-year-old man was bleeding “profusely from a laceration to his neck.”
“[The 29-year-old man’s] injury started near the center of his throat, extended toward the right side of his neck, and was spurting bright red blood across the carpeted floor of the casino,” wrote Officer Paul Roeller of the Auburn Police Department in a statement of probable cause. “A bloody boxcutter was [lying] nearby and was later seized as evidence.”
According to first appearance documents, witnesses reported the suspect Fuentes walked up behind the 29-year-old victim as he sat at a gaming table. Fuentes retrieved a boxcutter from his person and stabbed the man in the neck, “causing … massive injury.” Fuentes dropped the boxcutter on the ground and remained at the scene until Muckleshoot security personnel detained and handcuffed him.
According to documents, medical personnel attempted lifesaving measures for the 29-year-old. The man succumbed to his injuries, with first responders declaring him deceased at approximately 2:17 a.m.
Muckleshoot security personnel escorted Fuentes to the casino’s internal interview room, according to documents. Auburn police officers interviewed Fuentes, who was “willing to speak about what occurred.”
According to documents, Fuentes told officers that he traveled to Muckleshoot Casino by bus with the intention of killing an associate of his, arriving around 10 p.m. and searching the casino for the individual. Unable to find the individual, Fuentes started to search for someone else to kill.
According to documents, Fuentes observed the 29-year-old “being a bully” at a craps table — a dice game — and selected him as his target. Surveillance video showed Fuentes stabbing the 29-year-old in the neck as he sat at the craps table.
“There did not appear to be any altercation between the two prior to the incident,” wrote Officer Roeller in his statement.
Auburn police arrested Fuentes without incident, according to the department. Police transported Fuentes to the King County jail and booked him on a charge of murder in the first degree.
The King County Superior Court set Fuentes’s bail at $5 million at his first appearance hearing, according to McNerthney. King County prosecutors anticipate receiving a case referral from Auburn police for a rush-file charging decision by the afternoon of April 24, stated McNerthney.
Prosecutors have received no previous case referrals involving Fuentes.
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