An employee was stabbed to death at a Lake Elsinore Walmart on Monday morning, authorities said.
Riverside County Sheriff's deputies responded to the Walmart in the 29000 block of Central Avenue shortly after 7 a.m. for reports of an assault with a deadly weapon. The suspect, Lonnie Hinton, 29, allegedly stabbed Jessica Morales, a store employee, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Office.
Morales, 65, received medical attention but died at the scene.
Hinton, of Wildomar, later turned himself in at the Lake Elsinore police station and was arrested on suspicion of murder. Hinton was released from state prison earlier this year on robbery charges and was on parole at the time of the attack, investigators said.
“This appears to be a random incident,” authorities said. “There was no interaction between the suspect and the victim prior to the assault.”
“We are heartbroken by what happened at our Lake Elsinore store,” a Walmart spokesperson said in a statement. “The facility will remain closed as we work with law enforcement during their investigation. We offer our condolences and support to the family during this difficult time and will continue to work with our associates, providing support as needed.”
