Suspect Arrested In the Murder of Elderly Filipino Man Out for Morning Walk in Phoenix

March 5, 2021

A 40-year-old man was arrested after attacking and killing a 74-year-old Filipino man in Phoenix last month, according to police.

Attack, injuries and death: Phoenix police found Juanito Falcon with injuries to his head after responding to a call at a parking lot of a Kentucky Fried Chicken in 17th Avenue and Bethany Home Road on Feb. 16 at around 11:20 a.m., according to ABC15.

Falcon was walking when the alleged suspect, Marcus Williams, suddenly punched him, resulting in his head hitting the ground, police said.
The 74-year-old man was taken to the hospital, where he received treatment for abrasions and contusions to his face. However, hospital staff informed the investigators that Falcon was rushed to surgery as he sustained a skull fracture and bleeding on his brain.
The elderly man died from his injuries on Feb. 18. The Medical Examiner’s Office said the preliminary cause of Falcon’s death was blunt force trauma.
Malou Acunin, Falcon’s daughter, told Associated Press her father was doing his regular morning walk routine when the fatal attack happened.
“I have a lot of questions. Nobody should experience what happened to my father. I want this incident to be a cause of awareness to everybody,” Acunin said. “I don’t want the same incidence of violence and crime to happen to anybody, especially to the elderly.”

Arrest and other details: Witnesses of the incident helped identify Williams’ car and investigators later linked the vehicle to the suspect.

He was arrested on March 3 and was booked into the Maricopa County Jail for one count of second-degree murder.
Williams was ordered released on a $500,000 bail on Thursday.
Police spokeswoman Ann Justus told NextShark that investigators are still looking for a motive behind the crime, but added that they found no indication Falcon was targeted for his race.

Feature Image via Phoenix Police Department

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