New York hotel murder suspect now linked to Arizona stabbings

PHOENIX - A man accused of committing multiple stabbings in the Valley, including one at a McDonald's restaurant in Surprise, is now linked to crimes in other states.

The Surprise incident happened at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 18 near Greenway and Reems Roads. Court documents allege that 26-year-old Raad Almansoori started pounding on the bathroom stall door of the McDonald's when a female employee went in on Sunday morning. It states the suspect climbed under the door and into the bathroom stall. He then pointed a gun at her, and when she screamed, he stabbed her.

The suspect later stated, under Miranda, that he pepper-sprayed the victim, and intended to rape her - dead or alive - when she screamed. Surprise Police said Almansoori took off, stole a car, and was eventually arrested by Scottsdale Police.

Phoenix Police officials, meanwhile, believe Almansoori is responsible for the stabbing of a woman near 19th Avenue and Glendale on Feb. 17. Officers also said he confessed to a Feb. 7 murder in New York City. Arizona law enforcement then alerted police in New York City.

"Just nine days after our victim was discovered in New York City, he committed a knifepoint carjacking in Phoenix, Arizona, where he stabbed his female victim. He managed to escape that scene," said Joseph Kenny with the NYPD.

Police say the victims in Arizona were all women who were stabbed. The victim from New York City has been identified as 38-year-old Denisse Oleas-Arancibia, had been hit and strangled.

"This death was caused by blunt force trauma to the head," said Kenny. "A broken iron was recovered at the scene, and recovered bits of plastic that were found embedded in her skull."

Almansoori had previous arrests in Florida and Texas for kidnapping and sexual assault.