The man accused of fatally stabbing a woman at a Palm Beach Gardens Barnes & Noble days before Christmas had traveled through several states before entering Florida, authorities said Tuesday.
Palm Beach Gardens police identified the suspect as Antonio R. Moore, 40, and said he is accused of killing 65-year-old Rita B. Loncharich at the popular bookstore on the evening of Dec. 22.
Investigators said Moore is not a Florida resident and had passed through multiple states, including Georgia and North Carolina, before coming to Florida. Police said Moore boarded a bus from Orlando to Titusville on Dec. 15 and then traveled to Palm Beach County.
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According to the arrest affidavit obtained by WFLX Fox 29Moore entered the bookstore around 7:29 p.m. and Loncharich arrived shortly after. Investigators said Moore approached Loncharich in a store aisle and stabbed her in the back with a pocketknife.
According to the Palm Beach PostMoore allegedly told police a “fight or flight” response overtook him, and he grabbed a fixed-blade knife from his jacket pocket. He reportedly told police he stabbed Loncharich because she was the closest person to him at the time, saying he had had no previous interaction with her.
A Barnes & Noble location in San Diego, California. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)
Bystanders helped the victim until first responders arrived, the local outlet reported. Loncharich was transported to St. Mary’s Medical Center, where she died during surgery.
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Police received a 911 call at 7:52 p.m. and located Moore minutes later several blocks from the crime scene. He was taken into custody without incident.
Moore, who police say is homeless, told investigators he had no previous relationship with the victim and did not provide a motive for the attack. Authorities say he admitted to charging his phone at the store just before the stabbing.
Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office jail records show Moore was charged with first-degree murder. He is being held without bond.
Palm Beach Gardens police say they are looking for a motive for the stabbing at Barnes & Noble. (Palm Beach Gardens Police Department)
Local relatives and community members described Loncharich as a “kind, gentle” person whose life was cut short during what should have been a routine holiday outing.
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Fox News Digital has reached out to the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman contributed to this report.
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