California authorities have identified the victim and the suspect involved in a tragic incident at a Walmart in Lake Elsinore. The victim has been named as 65-year-old Jessica Morales, a resident of Menifee and an employee at the store. Deputies found her with severe stab wounds, and she was unfortunately pronounced dead at the scene.
The suspect, 29-year-old Lonnie Hinton from Wildomar, turned himself in to the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s station shortly after the attack. He faces murder charges and is currently held at the Cois Byrd Detention Center. Hinton was recently released from prison after serving time for robbery and was on parole at the time of the incident.
Deputies were called to the Walmart on Central Avenue around 7 a.m. to respond to reports of a violent assault.
The Sheriff’s Department reported that this seems to be a random act, with no prior connection between Morales and Hinton. They confirmed that there are no additional suspects in the case, but due to the ongoing investigation, further details are limited.
The Walmart is situated in a typical suburban shopping area, which also features a Cane’s Chicken restaurant, Taco Bell, and an Auto Zone, among others.
In response to the incident, Walmart’s headquarters issued a statement, expressing their commitment to the investigation.
Crime Rate in Lake Elsinore
Lake Elsinore has a crime rate of 27.88 per 1,000 residents each year, with residents perceiving the southeast region as the safest. The likelihood of becoming a crime victim varies significantly, with central neighborhoods facing a rate of 1 in 22, while southern areas are safer at about 1 in 46.
For murder specifically, the city reports a rate of 0.0290 per 1,000 individuals, making the chance of being a murder victim extremely low, ranging from 1 in 32,373 in the west to 1 in 37,096 in the northeast.