An ex-con on parole for a robbery conviction has been charged with murder after police said he brutally stabbed a 65-year-old Walmart worker to death in an unprovoked, random attack.
Lonnie Hinton, 29, who was released from a California prison earlier this year, allegedly walked into the retail outlet in Lake Elsinore around 7 a.m. Monday and stabbed store employee Jessica Morales multiple times before walking away, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said in a release.
Morales, who had worked for Walmart for over 25 years, died at the scene. Hinton later turned himself in.
“This appears to be a random event and there was no interaction between the suspect and the victim prior to the assault,” the sheriff’s department said.
“There are no outstanding suspects in this case. Due to the ongoing investigation, no additional details will be released.”
Morales “was a really good person,” one store employee told Fox News. “Great friend. Everybody loved her.”
Walmart offered condolences to Morales’ family.
“The facility will remain closed as we work with police during their investigation,” the company said in a statement to Fox. “We offer our condolences and support to the family during this difficult time and will continue working with our associates, providing support as needed.”
Hinton was released from prison on March 23 after serving time on burglary and robbery convictions for stabbing an employee at a California restaurant in 2020, according to KABC-TV News.
The sheriff’s office said he was still on parole when the fatal attack took place on Monday.
An online fundraiser for Morales had collected more than $8,300 by Wednesday morning.
“This GoFundMe is to help her three children take care of her memorial and what she needs provided for in her wake without the financial burden,” the page reads.
