The suspect in the murder of a Manhattan prostitute told police to Google “the Soho 54 hotel” after he was arrested Sunday for stabbing a woman in Arizona.
Raad Almansoori, 26, was identified today as the suspect in the murder of Denisse Oleas-Arancibia after he stabbed a woman he dragged into a bathroom in Phoenix.
He then told Arizona police he was suspected of murder in New York and told them to find the hotel where Oleas-Arancibia was found beaten to death with an iron on February 8.
The NYPD revealed new details during a press conference on Tuesday, including that Almansoori was out on bail at the time of the killing for attacking another escort in Florida in April. He also admitted to assaulting three more women.
NYPD Chief Detective Joseph Kenny said, “We are working with our partners to arrange extradition so he can be charged with the murder here.”
Raad Almansoori, 26, was arrested by police in Arizona for a separate attack on another woman
A surveillance footage image shows the suspect in Oleas-Arancibia’s gruesome murder, with police saying he was wearing her leggings
When staff discovered her body on the morning of February 8, the 38-year-old was lying under a blanket and next to a broken iron, having checked in the day before.
Kenny also revealed Tuesday that Almansoori has an “extensive” history of state arrests, 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 these charges, he later posted his own bail in September 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, with police revealing the suspect was caught on camera fleeing the scene wearing her leggings.
Surveillance photos show the suspect walking down a well-lit Manhattan street at night, wearing light-colored women’s leggings, a black hoodie and a tan jacket.
Confirming the timeline of events, Kenny said Almansoori purchased a plane ticket from Florida to New York on January 26.
According to Kenny, he has credit card use in the Big Apple three days later and visits an escort in Upper Manhattan on February 6.
Oleas-Arancibia’s body is then 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 murder it appears there was a dispute over the amount of time he was allowed to stay in the room and that is what caused the outburst. What caused the attack.”
Denisse Oleas-Arancibia, 38, was found dead in a room at the SoHo 45 Hotel last Thursday morning
Her death has been formally ruled a homicide (photo: interior of the room where Oleas-Arancibia was found)
Oleas-Arancibia died of neck compression and blunt head trauma, a spokesperson for the city medical examiner’s office said
Officials in Arizona took him into custody Sunday after he stabbed a woman at McDonald’s after dragging her into the ladies’ room 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 a previous stabbing a few days earlier in Phoenix.
In that incident, a woman was stabbed when a man with a knife tried to steal her car.
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 theft, assault, theft and criminal damage in the separate Phoenix investigation. He is being held without bond.
Kenny added that extradition could take “days, weeks, even months.”
Police said last week they had used “extensive video” to track down the person of interest in Oleas-Arancibia’s death.
Sources had previously told DailyMail.com that Oleas-Arancibia was a sex worker after she was spotted on the streets of Roosevelt Avenue in Queens days before her death.
A spokesperson for the city medical examiner said Oleas-Arancibia died of compression to her neck and blunt head trauma.
She was unconscious and unresponsive when authorities arrived on the scene. She suffered significant head trauma and was pronounced dead by paramedics.
Her body was found when wellness calls were made to the front desk for her throughout the evening.
It was also reported that an employee entered her room, despite a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the handle, and left after seeing her under a blanket on the floor.
A bloody iron was found near her body. Police also recovered bloody pants with a receipt inside from the hotel room
Wellness calls were made to the front desk for Oleas-Arancibia throughout the evening
The woman’s son, 18-year-old Edwin Cevallos, spoke to his mother the day before her death.
Cevallos lived with Oleas-Arancibia and her cousin in an apartment in Queens.
But he said he noticed changes in her behavior a week before the tragedy. “She was so 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.” Everything.’
The Ecuadorian native came to the United States five years ago, leaving behind family, including one of her other sons.
“My mother worked very hard,” said Cevallos, who came to the country with her two years ago.
Although the teen admitted he did not know his mother’s profession, he said she “always worked for us to give us the best life in this country.”
Police said last week they had used ‘extensive video’ to track down the person of interest in Oleas-Arancibia’s death
Oleas-Arancibia (pictured left) came to the United States five years ago, leaving behind family, including one of her sons
The 18-year-old was waiting to meet her on Thursday morning and called police when he still didn’t see her by 1pm.
Cevallos described his mother as “a very good person” who “always helped people” and “never hurt anyone.”
‘She always paid for everything. She never owed anyone money. She always wanted to help them move forward,” the teen 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 Wednesday morning, when she made him breakfast and paid a barber for his haircut.
Oleas-Arancibia told her son she loved him as 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 the Hampton Inn, advertises rooms on its website for about $110 per night.
