“Don’t move. Don’t move!” yelled a police officer caught on body camera during a tense moment in Scottsdale, Arizona. The man they were shouting at? Raad Noah Almansoori, a 26-year-old wanted for a horrifying crime spree that spanned across the country. He followed the officer’s command and was promptly arrested by Scottsdale police.
Authorities in New York City accuse Almansoori of brutally murdering 38-year-old Denisse Oleas-Arancibia in a SoHo hotel room on February 7. Meanwhile, prosecutors in Maricopa County, Arizona, say he tried to kill two women on February 17 and 18—one in Phoenix and the other in Surprise.
Scottsdale police were alerted to Almansoori’s stolen vehicle after the February 18 stabbing, which led to his eventual capture. The charges against him in Arizona are heavy: two counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault, one count of attempted armed robbery, two counts of attempted sexual assault, and one count of vehicle theft.
Over in New York, he faces equally severe charges, including first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and two counts of second-degree robbery.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg expressed his determination to bring justice to Denisse Oleas-Arancibia’s family. “With this indictment, we are one step closer to securing justice for Denisse Oleas-Arancibia,” he said. “Our prosecutors and investigators are working tirelessly to build the strongest possible case. We will be ready to prosecute Raad Almansoori for these horrific crimes when he is returned to New York.”
Bragg also extended his condolences to Oleas – Arancibia’s family and the victims in Arizona, acknowledging the immense pain they are enduring as these tragic events unfold.
