Trending

Police: Man dead after being stabbed 50 to 70 times in Arizona

MESA, Ariz. — A man has died after he was stabbed 50 to 70 times in Mesa, Arizona, Friday morning, police said.

>> Read more trending news

Mesa Police Department was called to an intersection after someone reported that there was a stabbing and other reports that there was a man dead on Friday morning, according to court records obtained by KTVK. Once officers arrived at the scene, they located a victim who was later identified as Jose Feliciano, 46.

KSAZ said it happened at around 2 a.m. and Feliciano had been heavily bleeding from multiple stab wounds. Mesa Fire Department crews pronounced Feliciano dead at the scene.

According to court records obtained by KSAZ, Feliciano had about 50 to 70 stab wounds to his chest, the side of his torso, and his back.

Investigators obtained surveillance video from a QuikTrip gas station in the area and saw Feliciano get into a fight with a man prior to being stabbed which caused him to fall to the ground, according to KTVK. The man that was seen arguing with Feliciano was identified as Roberto Villareal-Suarez, 38, by MPD.

A witness told investigators that Villareal-Suarez was “violently swinging his right arm while standing over the body,” according to KTVK. Investigators also learned that Villareal-Suarez was holding a tablet that was believed to have belonged to Feliciano and was taken after the stabbing.

The witness provided investigators with a description of Villareal-Suarez and they located him holding a bloody knife walking down the street, according to KSAZ. During an interview, Villareal-Suarez allegedly admitted to investigators to stabbing Feliciano.

According to KTVK, Villareal-Suarez allegedly claimed that Feliciano pulled out a knife on him and tried to rob him. He then allegedly admitted to chasing Feliciano with the knife and then stabbing him. Regarding the tablet, Villareal-Suarez allegedly said that he took it so he could “try and use it or sell it for money because he was homeless.”

Villareal-Suarez has been booked on recommended charges of first-degree murder and one count of armed robbery. KTVK said as of Monday, Villareal-Suarez is being held on a $1 million bond.