SoHo hotel murder: Who is Raad Almansoori? A look into his alleged crimes
NEW YORK CITY - THE LATEST: SoHo hotel murder suspect planned to kill Uber driver, family before arrest: police
Raad Almansoori, the man police said is wanted for beating and strangling a 38-year-old mother to death inside a SoHo hotel room, has an extensive criminal history spanning multiple states, including New York.
JUMP TO: SOHO MURDER l ATTEMPTED CARJACKING l MCDONALD'S STABBING l ARIZONA ARREST l OTHER ALLEGATIONS
The 26-year-old is also connected to multiple crimes in Florida, Arizona and Texas, according to the NYPD. Almansoori has a history of targeting women, some of whom are escorts, police said.
Here's a look at the alleged crimes of Almansoori, beginning from the SoHo hotel murder earlier this month to his eventual arrest in Arizona.
SoHo hotel murder: Feb. 8
Denisse Oleas-Arancibia, a 38-year-old Queens woman, was found unconscious next to a bloody iron on Thursday, Feb. 8 inside the SoHo 54 Hotel on Watts Street.
Oleas-Arancibia was later pronounced dead, and police had determined she had been beaten with the iron and strangled. The NYC medical examiner ruled her death a homicide. According to police sources, Almansoori is responsible for the death.
Denisse Oleas-Arancibia.
"This death was caused by blunt force trauma to the head," said NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny. "A broken iron was recovered at the scene, and recovered bits of plastic were found embedded in her skull."
Police had been searching for a man who they said left the hotel wearing Oleas-Arancibia's leggings.
Arizona attempted carjacking: Feb. 17
According to our sister station FOX 10 Phoenix, Phoenix Police officials believe Almansoori is responsible for an attempted carjacking and stabbing of a woman in Glendale, Arizona on Feb. 17.
Map of the alleged crimes committed by Almansoori in Arizona.
"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," Kenny said.
Arizona McDonald's stabbing: Feb. 18
Court documents allege Almansoori started pounding on the bathroom stall door of a McDonald's in Surprise, Arizona, on Feb. 18 when a female employee went inside, FOX 10 Phoenix reported.
Documents state 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 that he pepper-sprayed the victim and intended to rape her – dead or alive – when she screamed, officials said.
Almansoori arrested in Arizona: Feb. 18
According to police, the suspect, who was described as a man with long dark hair, fled the scene on foot. As officers searched, they learned a man matching the description of the suspect had stolen a car nearby.
Once in police custody, Almansoori admitted to the McDonald's attack, along with the knife incident in Phoenix, even telling them to "Google the SoHo 54 hotel."
Through credit card usage, police tracked his whereabouts from New York to Arizona.
Almansoori was booked into jail and is being held without bond. He is accused of multiple charges related to the Arizona stabbings, including attempted murder, aggravated assault and robbery.
Arizona press conference: Feb. 21
During a press conference Wednesday, Arizona police said they will not extradite Almansoori to Manhattan and keep him in their custody.
They also said they believe Almansoori was hunting for another victim when he was detained.
As of Tuesday night, Almansoori remained locked up in the Maricopa County, Arizona, jail, with a $250,000 bond.
Texas, Florida allegations against Almansoori
Authorities said Almansoori had previous arrests in Florida and Texas for kidnapping and sexual assault.
Last April, he was accused of sexually battering and assaulting a woman as well as holding her against her will, according to an Orlando Police affidavit, FOX 35 Orlando reported. The victim managed to escape from Almansoori and call 911 from a 7-Eleven.
According to an arrest affidavit by Florida Highway Patrol, state troopers caught Almansoori a day later in Sumter County driving the woman's car, which had been reported stolen. Court records show Almansoori bounded out of jail this past September, and the case remains open, with a trial scheduled for March.
FOX 10 Phoenix and FOX 35 Orlando contributed to this report.