The suspect in the murder of a Manhattan prostitute told police to Google the 54 Soho hotel after being arrested for stabbing a woman in Arizona on Sunday.
Raad Almansoori, 26, was identified today as the suspect in the murder of Denisse Oleas-Arancibia after stabbing a woman he dragged into a bathroom in Phoenix.
He then told police in Arizona that he was a homicide suspect in New York and told them to look for the hotel where Oleas-Arancibia was found beaten to death with an iron on February 8.
The NYPD revealed new details at a news conference Tuesday, including that Almansoori was out on bail at the time of the murder for attacking another escort in Florida in April. She also confessed to assaulting three other women.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said: “We are working with our partners to arrange for his extradition so he can be charged with the homicide here.”
Raad Almansoori, 26, was arrested by police in Arizona for another assault on another woman.
A surveillance image shows the suspect in Oleas-Arancibia’s gruesome murder, and police say he was wearing his leggings.
When staff discovered her body on the morning of February 8, the 38-year-old woman was lying under a blanket and next to a broken iron, having been admitted the day before.
Kenny also revealed Tuesday that Almansoori has an “extensive” out-of-state arrest history, having previously been arrested in Florida, Texas and Arizona.
Almansoori was out on bail at the time of the incidents and was arrested in April 2023 for kidnapping and sexually assaulting another sex worker in Florida.
After being arrested on that charge, he posted his own bail in September of last year.
When staff discovered Oleas-Arancibia’s body on the morning of February 8, the 38-year-old was lying under a blanket and next to a bloody broken iron, having checked in the day before.
Police say a pair of blood-spattered men’s pants were found next to Oleas-Arancibia’s body, and cops revealed that the suspect was caught on camera fleeing the scene in her leggings.
Surveillance photos show the suspect walking at night on a well-lit Manhattan street, wearing light-colored women’s leggings, a black hoodie and a tan jacket.
Confirming the chronology of events, Kenny said Almansoori had purchased a plane ticket from Florida to New York on January 26.
According to Kenny, he then uses the credit card three days later in the Big Apple and visits an escort in Upper Manhattan on February 6.
Oleas-Arancibia’s body was found on the morning of February 8, and four days later Almansoori is said to have flown back to Arizona from Newark.
Kenny added: “In our homicide it appears there was a dispute over how long he was allowed to stay in the room, and that’s what caused the outburst.” What caused the attack.
Kenny, seen here, also revealed on Tuesday that Almansoori has an “extensive” out-of-state arrest history, having previously been arrested in Florida, Texas and Arizona.
Denisse Oleas-Arancibia, 38, was found dead in a room at the SoHo 45 hotel last Thursday morning.
His death has been formally declared a homicide (pictured: interior of the room where Oleas-Arancibia was found)
Oleas-Arancibia died from neck compression and blunt head trauma, according to a spokesman for the city medical examiner.
Authorities in Arizona arrested him Sunday after he stabbed a woman at McDonald’s after dragging her into the women’s bathroom and holding her against her will.
Police say Almansoori was arrested shortly after he tried to flee in a stolen car and admitted, while in custody, to being stabbed a few days earlier in Phoenix.
In that incident, a woman was stabbed when a man tried to steal her car at knifepoint.
Almansoori was booked into the Maricopa County Jail on charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault and robbery in connection with the Surprise incident.
He was also charged with robbery, assault, theft and criminal mischief in the separate Phoenix investigation. He is being held without bail.
Kenny added that extradition could take “days, weeks, even months.”
Police said last week they had been using “extensive video” to locate the person of interest in Oleas-Arancibia’s death.
Sources had previously told DailyMail.com that Oleas-Arancibia was a sex worker and had been seen days before her death on the streets of Roosevelt Avenue in Queens.
A spokesman for the city medical examiner said Oleas-Arancibia died from neck compression and blunt force trauma to the head.
He was unconscious and unresponsive when authorities arrived at the scene. She suffered significant head trauma and was pronounced dead by emergency medical services.
His body was found when welfare calls were made to reception throughout the night.
It was also reported that an employee entered her room, despite the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the handle, and left after seeing her on the floor under a blanket.
A bloody iron was found next to his body. Police also recovered a pair of bloody pants with a hotel room receipt.
Throughout the evening, well-being calls were made to the reception for Oleas-Arancibia
The woman’s son, Edwin Cevallos, 18, spoke to his mother a day before her death.
Cevallos had been living with Oleas-Arancibia and his nephew in an apartment in Queens.
But she said she saw changes in his behavior a week before the tragedy. “She was very nervous and worried,” Cevallos told the Daily News.
The teenager said he was “in shock” and added: “Everything here in New York reminds me of her.” All.’
The Ecuadorian native came to the United States five years ago, leaving behind her family, including one of her other children.
“My mom worked very hard,” said Cevallos, who joined her in the country two years ago.
While the teen admitted he didn’t know his mother’s occupation, he said she was “always working for us to give us the best life in this country.”
Police said last week they had been using ‘extensive video’ to locate the person of interest in Oleas-Arancibia’s death.
Oleas-Arancibia (pictured left) came to the United States five years ago, leaving behind her family, including one of her children.
The 18-year-old was waiting to meet her on Thursday morning and called police when he still didn’t see her at 1pm.
Cevallos described his mother as “a very good person” who “was always helping people” and “never hurt anyone.”
“She was always paying for everything. She never owed anyone money. “She was always looking to help them move forward,” the teenager said.
He explained that his mother had worked tirelessly to achieve the American Dream and provide a better life for her children.
“She gave us the life we always wanted,” Cevallos said.
The last time he saw her was on Wednesday morning, when she made him breakfast and paid the barber to cut his hair.
Oleas-Arancibia told her son she loved him when he left for school that day.
“She was always happy and having fun,” Cevallos said. “I can’t believe this happened.”
SoHo 45, formerly known as Hampton Inn, advertises rooms for about $110 a night on its website.