Man suspected of bludgeoning NYC woman to death accused of assaults in Arizona
A man suspected of bludgeoning a woman to death in a New York City hotel room earlier this month has been arrested in Arizona on suspicion of two stabbings.
During a press conference on Tuesday, the New York City Police Department said they were looking to extradite and arrest Raad Almansoori, 26, in the Feb. 8 death of Denisse Oleas-Arancibia, 38.
Almansoori has not yet been charged in Oleas-Arancibia's killing. Police said Almansoori made statements linking him to Oleas-Arancibia's death after he was arrested and booked in Arizona on Sunday on suspicion of attempted murder, aggravated assault and theft of means of transportation.
"He tells the cops they should Google SoHo 54 Hotel," NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny said.
Officials said Almansoori arrived in New York City in late January when his credit card shows he visited an escort in upper Manhattan.
On February 8, Oleas-Arancibiam was found by staff on the floor of a SoHo 54 Hotel room and police later determined that her death was caused by blunt force trauma.
Police said they found a broken iron on the scene. Authorities said they suspect Oleas-Arancibiam was working as an escort and that's how she met Almansoori.
"It seems that there was a dispute over the time he was allowed to stay in the room," Kenny said. "And that's what caused the outburst, which caused the attack."
Suspect's statements link him to assaults in 2 states, police said
Almansoori also made statements connecting him to a string of assaults on women, including two stabbings in Arizona, and an attack in Florida, police said.
In Arizona, he was arrested after police in Surprise said he tried to rape a McDonald's employee before stabbing her several times, The Arizona Republic reported. Almansoori was allegedly eating at the restaurant when surveillance video showed him following an employee into the women's restroom, where he banged on her locked stall before crawling underneath the door.
Police said he brandished a gun, later identified as a BB gun, and stabbed the woman at least three times in the neck after she screamed. He then fled south and stole a car.
The injured McDonald's employee underwent surgery and is in stable condition, according to police documents.
Almansoori is also a suspect in another stabbing of a woman during an attempted robbery on Saturday, police said.
FBI investigating ties to other cases
Officials in New York are working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to see if Almansoori has been involved in any other crimes across the country. The NYPD asked other police departments and the public to come forward with any information they may have on Almansoori.
Almansoori has prior arrests in Arizona, Texas, and Florida, where he has lived before.
“Anywhere that he’s visited, there is potential that there are other victims around the country,” Deputy Commissioner of Public Information Tarik Sheppard said.
Perry Vandell contributed to this report.