AUBURN, Wash. — The man who allegedly stabbed a stranger at a casino in Auburn was charged with first-degree murder Wednesday.
Ricky Fuentes, 30, is accused of attacking a man from behind with a box cutter inside Muckleshoot Casino. According to court documents, there was no prior interaction between Fuentes and the victim.
The Auburn Police Department said it responded to the scene at 1:30 a.m. on Sunday and found the victim, Brandon Larson, with a stab wound to the neck. He was pronounced dead at the scene despite life-saving efforts.
Fuentes is held on $5 million bail and his next court date is scheduled for May 8.
According to law enforcement officials, Fuentes "freely admitted" to the murder and said he initially went to the casino to kill "an associate." He told police he took a box cutter from his job with the intention of killing someone. A bloody box cutter was found at the scene.
According to court documents, Fuentes searched for his "associate" in the casino for over three hours before the attack. Officials believe his intended victim was not actually a real person.
When he could not find his intended victim, he stabbed Larson, who was a complete stranger.
Police believe Fuentes suffers from mental health issues and said he admitted to using meth the night before the stabbing.
Fuentes' criminal history consists of a few misdemeanor crimes, but he was arrested and charged five days before the stabbing for hit and run and reckless driving.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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