NEW YORK (TCD) — A 26-year-old man who is believed to have beaten an escort to death in a lower Manhattan hotel room was arrested in Arizona this week following a stabbing spree.
According to NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenney, on Feb. 8 at approximately 10:30 a.m., a SoHo 54 Hotel staff member went into room 1109 and found a woman on the floor. EMS and other patrol units responded to the scene, and the victim, Denisse Oleas-Arancibia, was pronounced dead at 10:47 a.m.
The medical examiner determined Oleas-Arancibia, 38, died from blunt force trauma to the head. Investigators at the scene reportedly discovered a broken iron as well as pieces of plastic “embedded in her skull.”
Police believe the killing occurred between 2:14 p.m. on Feb. 7 and 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 8.
NYPD detectives identified the suspect as Raad Almansoori, who has an “extensive” arrest history in other states, including charges of kidnapping and sexual assault in Florida. The majority of his other arrests reportedly involve domestic violence and assault.
Almansoori flew to Arizona from Newark, New Jersey, on Feb. 12. His alleged crime sprees continued there and several days later. Phoenix Police Assistant Chief Ed DeCastro said in a press conference officers received an armed carjacking call on Feb. 17 and learned a woman went to urgent care with stab wounds. She said a man held her at gunpoint and knifepoint and tried to steal her car. The suspect stabbed her, then fled without the vehicle.
The woman was hospitalized and underwent surgery for her injuries.
The next day, Surprise Police Department officers were called to a McDonald’s and found a woman suffering from stab wounds. The victim, an 18-year-old, was reportedly dragged into a bathroom, where she was held against her will and attacked. She was transported to a local hospital for treatment, where she is still recovering.
As officers began canvassing the area, they learned about a carjacking involving a man who matched Almansoori’s description. He was ultimately apprehended in Scottsdale.
According to Kenney, Almansoori allegedly admitted to his involvement in the various stabbings and said he was wanted for murder in New York City. He reportedly told arresting officers to “Google SoHo 54 Hotel.”
Surprise Police took Almansoori into custody on one count each of attempted homicide, aggravated assault, theft of means, robbery, assault, theft, and criminal damage.
Kenney said his detectives are working with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office to arrange for Almansoori’s extradition back to New York City. Maricopa County District Attorney Rachel Mitchell, however, said in a press conference she will not agree to extradition.
Miller said, “Having observed the treatment of violent criminals in the New York area by the Manhattan D.A. there, Alvin Bragg, I think it is safer to keep him here and keep him in custody so he cannot be out there doing this to individuals either in our state, county, or anywhere in the United States.”
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office rebutted Miller’s remarks and said in a statement it was “deeply disturbing that D.A. Mitchell is playing political games in a murder investigation.”
The statement said murders in Manhattan are down 24% since Bragg took office, which is “less than that that of Phoenix, Arizona, because of the hard work of the NYPD and all of our law enforcement partners.”
The statement concluded, “It is a slap in the face to them and to the victim in our case to refuse to allow us to seek justice and full accountability for a New Yorker’s death.”
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