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65-year-old employee stabbed to death inside Lake Elsinore Walmart

Deadly stabbing at Lake Elsinore Walmart
Deadly stabbing at Lake Elsinore Walmart 01:54

Riverside County detectives closed off a Lake Elsinore Walmart after a man stabbed a 65-year-old employee to death for seemingly no reason Monday morning. 

Deputies responded around 7 a.m. to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon at the business located in the 29000 block of Central Avenue, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Office.

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Deadly stabbing inside Walmart. Citizen

During the investigation, deputies closed the nearby parking lot and parts of the Walmart. Some employees were told to go home when they arrived. 

"I walked up to the doors and my store manager told me that she couldn't let me in, and I had to go home," employee Monique Berrera said.

Investigators identified the suspect as 29-year-old Lonnie Hinton, who turned himself into deputies at the Lake Elsinore Sheriff's Station. Hinton was booked for murder at the Cois Byrd Detention Center.

"He was just released from prison this year and was currently on parole," said Sergeant Wenndy Brito-Gonzalez. 

The Sheriff's Office does not know if he knew the woman he allegedly killed. Investigators are trying to determine the motivation behind the deadly attack. Detectives have not found the weapon used. 

"We're heartbroken by what has happened at our Lake Elsinore store," a Walmart spokesperson said in a statement. "We offer our condolences and support to the family during this difficult time." 

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