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Crime

Man charged with murder for stabbing victim 50-70 times on Mesa street

Police: Suspect said he 'wanted to kill him.'

Posted 8/15/22

A 39-year-old man was arrested and charged Sunday with first-degree murder for stabbing a man more than 50 times Friday afternoon at an intersection in Mesa, according to court documents.

Officers …

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Crime

Man charged with murder for stabbing victim 50-70 times on Mesa street

Police: Suspect said he 'wanted to kill him.'

Posted

A 39-year-old man was arrested and charged Sunday with first-degree murder for stabbing a man more than 50 times Friday afternoon at an intersection in Mesa, according to court documents.

Roberto Villareal-Suarez was arrested at the hospital on Sunday, Aug. 14, and charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery. He was booked into jail and held on a $1 million bond.

Officers responded to the intersection of Extension and University Drive shortly after 1:40 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12, where they found 46-year-old Jose Feliciano in a pool of blood, according to the documents released Monday by Mesa police.

The Mesa Fire Department pronounced the victim dead at 2:08 p.m.

“It was later discovered the victim sustained a minimum of approximately 50 to 70 stab wounds at his chest, side torso area and back,” the documents stated.

Police said they followed a blood trail and found items belonging to the victim as they searched for the suspect in the killing.

Authorities spoke to an eyewitness who told them the suspect stood over the victim’s body in the middle of the road after the incident.

Video surveillance footage from a nearby convenience store showed the victim and suspect, police stated in the documents.

“The victim appears to be trying to get away from the (suspect) and the two become involved in a brief physical altercation, walking towards the intersection before the (suspect) is seen either pushing or stabbing the victim, causing him to fall down to the ground,” according to the report.

The suspect stood over the victim for about 90 seconds before leaving the area, police said.

According to authorities, the suspect was interviewed by detectives at a hospital and “admitted to stabbing the victim several times because he ‘wanted to kill him.’”

He also admitted to stealing the victim’s tablet, saying he wanted to use it or sell it. The suspect told officials he is homeless and had no money, the documents stated.