Suspect in fatal Lake Elsinore Walmart stabbing allegedly attacked man in similar manner 4 years ago

PERRIS, Calif. (KABC) -- A Perris man says he was attacked nearly four years ago by the same person who allegedly killed a 65-year-old store employee at a Walmart in Lake Elsinore earlier this week.

Arturo Juarez said the suspect in the Lake Elsinore murder, Lonnie Hinton, attacked him in a strikingly similar manner on November 8, 2020.

"I was just doing my job. That's it," Juarez said. "And he stabs me!"

According to a police report, Lonnie Hinton was confronted by a store employee at Gus Jr.'s restaurant in Perris after apparently stealing money out of a tip jar. That employee struck Hinton, who then left the premises.

But according to the report, Hinton came back about 15 minutes later armed with a knife.

"He came to the restaurant, came to the kitchen and stabbed me," said Juarez, who had no prior relationship with Hinton and feels that Hinton mistook him for the employee who had confronted him.

Juarez says he was stabbed three times in the back and once on the arm. He said doctors told him that due to the proximity of the stab wounds to several of his organs, he was lucky to be alive.

"They said it's a miracle that you're here, it's a miracle," he said.

Hinton was arrested that same day and later charged with assault with a deadly weapon, petty theft and robbery. But the assault charge was dropped as part of a plea bargain. He was sentenced to five years in state prison and granted parole earlier this year.

Juarez is now suffering a number of health problems since he was attacked, including high blood pressure, diabetes, anxiety and depression.

He said he wants justice in this case, not only for what happened to him but for Jessica Morales, the Walmart employee Hinton is accused of killing in what detectives call a random attack.

"It was the same person, the same guy that almost killed me. I'm shocked," Juarez said.

Hinton is now facing murder charges after the death of Morales. He is currently behind bars, ineligible for bail.