Woman stabbed to death inside Walmart store in Lake Elsinore
LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. (KABC) -- A woman was stabbed to death inside a Walmart in Lake Elsinore Monday morning, and a man is in custody, authorities said.
Authorities identified the victim as 65-year-old Menifee resident Jessica Morales, an employee at the store.
Deputies responded to the business in the 29000 block of Central Avenue at about 7 a.m. regarding an assault with a deadly weapon, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.
When deputies arrived, Morales was found with multiple stab wounds. She was later pronounced dead at the scene.
A suspect, 29-year-old Lonnie Hinton from Wildomar, was arrested on suspicion of murder after he turned himself in at the Lake Elsinore Sheriff's Station, authorities said.
A Walmart employee initially told Eyewitness News off camera that the suspect became upset when the employee didn't have a key to open a locked cabinet, however, investigators said the attack appeared to be random.
"This appears to be a random event, and there was no interaction between the suspect and the victim prior to the assault. There are no outstanding suspects in this case," the Sheriff's Department said in a news release.
Hinton was released from state prison earlier this year for a robbery and was on parole, authorities said. He was booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center.
Walmart released a statement that said:
"We're heartbroken by what's happened at our Lake Elsinore store. The facility will remain closed as we work with police during their investigation. We offer our condolences and support to the family during this difficult time and will continue working with our associates, providing support as needed."
