Phoenix man stabs 3 in Laveen, killing 1, police say
The Phoenix Police Department released additional details about three stabbings in Laveen, which resulted in the death of one man, over three separate days last week and the man who they say is responsible.
Nick Joseph Hernandez, 39, faces a first-degree murder charge and remains at the Maricopa County Fourth Avenue Jail on a $1 million bond.
According to Phoenix police, the first stabbing took place on Wednesday at about 7:30 p.m. near a Little Caesar's located at 59th Avenue and Baseline. Hernandez allegedly stabbed a man in the back unprovoked, resulting in a collapsed lung. The victim survived but declined to pursue charges claiming he knew who had stabbed him.
The following day, at around 9:06 on Thursday morning, police responded to another stabbing at a Circle K located on 51st Avenue and Baseline Road. Hernandez allegedly stabbed a man identified as Frank Sunn, 30, multiple times. Sunn was transported to the hospital in critical condition and died from his injuries about an hour later.
Surveillance video from the convenience store and a fast food restaurant next door showed Hernandez, wearing a dark blue hooded sweatshirt, pants and red shoes walking with a pocket knife in hand, with the blade opened.
Hernandez is seen approaching Sunn, Sunn's father and a friend. The video does not show the stabbing, but moments after Hernandez approached the three men, they are seen fleeing the parking lot in panic.
The surveillance video then shows Hernandez allegedly walking toward the restaurant drive-thru, removing his sweatshirt and placing it underneath a parked car, then walking away. Police recovered the sweatshirt and found the pocketknife in one of the pockets.
Witnesses at the scene told police that they overheard Hernandez ask Sunn where to get drugs but then stabbed him unprovoked using the pocketknife.
On Friday, at about 4:47 p.m. the emergency dispatch received a call about a third stabbing. This time at a bus stop near 47th Avenue and Baseline Road. Hernandez allegedly stabbed a third man multiple times, but his injuries were non-life threatening. The description matched Hernandez.
In the following minutes, the dispatch received additional calls about a man jumping walls into the backyards of the neighborhood nearby and discarding his clothing, including a black hoodie, mask and gloves.
More than 30 minutes after getting the call about the stabbing at the bus stop, police officers arrested Hernandez a few blocks north of Baseline Road. Police said he was only wearing pants by that time.
Hernandez declined to answer questions from investigators. His next court appearance is scheduled for Thursday.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Nick Joseph Hernandez held in Laveen stabbings; 1 dead, 2 hurt
