Editor’s Note: Per an update by the Murrieta Police Department, on July 5, the victim succumbed to his injuries while hospitalized. The suspect remains in custody. An additional charge of homicide will be filed with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.
The Murrieta Police Department is investigating a stabbing that occurred Thursday evening at the Waterstone Apartments, located at 24850 Hancock Ave. in the City of Murrieta.
On July 2 at approximately 10:34 p.m., officers responded to multiple reports of a male chasing another male with a knife. Officers determined a physical altercation occurred between two adult males, ages 32 and 37. During the altercation, one of the individuals produced a knife and stabbed the other male. According to the Murrieta Police Department, the altercation and subsequent stabbing occurred in the north driveway of the apartment complex parking lot.
Before officers arrived at the scene, the injured victim was transported by an unidentified individual in a private vehicle to a nearby hospital, where he remains in serious condition.
At this time, investigators have not identified the individual who transported the victim, and that person has not yet contacted law enforcement. Detectives believe the driver may have important information regarding the circumstances surrounding this incident.
During the initial response, officers deployed the department’s newly implemented Drone as First Responder (DFR) system. The drone arrived at the scene while officers were still en route, located the suspected assailant in the apartment complex parking lot, and guided responding officers to his exact location, where the suspect was taken into custody without incident.
Following the initial investigation, 37-year-old Gekeith McDuffie of Jersey City, New Jersey, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.
Detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the altercation and are seeking any cell phone, surveillance, or dash camera footage that may have captured the incident or the movements of those involved before or after the stabbing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective B. Williams at 951-970-8965 or [email protected].
