Suspect in Christmas 2023 murder in Connecticut arrested in L.A.
Dec 23, 2024
A suspect has been arrested nearly one year after a fatal Christmas Day 2023 stabbing in Connecticut, police said.
Juan Camilo Avila-Olmos, 28, was captured Saturday in Los Angeles and held on a fugitive warrant, the Stamford Police Department wrote Sunday on Facebook.
Avila-Olmos is suspected of killing Juan David Hernandez-Velasco in Stamford in the early morning hours of Dec. 25, 2023.
Hernandez-Velasco, 32, was rushed to Stamford Hospital after he was stabbed at a party, cops said. Witnesses said an argument spiraled out of control at the holiday get-together, and Hernandez-Velasco was dropped off at the hospital in a private vehicle.
Originally another man, Beimar Araujo-Ramirez, was arrested and considered a suspect in the case. However, charges against the 23-year-old Araujo-Ramirez were dropped last month.
Instead, cops pivoted and focused on Avila-Olmos, who authorities said moved from Connecticut to California shortly after the deadly stabbing. Avila-Olmos was arrested and held on $5 million bail; he is expected to be extradited to Connecticut to face charges.
“This case serves as a somber reminder of the tragic consequences of violence,” Stamford Police Capt. Thomas Scanlon wrote in a Facebook post. “Our department remains steadfast in its commitment to pursuing justice and ensuring the safety and well-being of our community.”