Police: Renter stabs husband and wife, another renter in Utah home
OREM, Utah (KTVX) — A 24-year-old man is facing multiple counts of attempted aggravated murder after allegedly stabbing three people while inside an Orem home Monday evening. Authorities were called to the home for “a male who was actively stabbing people in the home.”
At around 5:20 p.m. on Monday, Orem Police confirmed they were responding to an “active incident” and asked the community to avoid the area. Orem Police say when they arrived, they found three people who had been stabbed multiple times. The suspect, now identified as 24-year-old Wilton Vladimir Molina, was taken into custody without further incident.
Arresting documents obtained by NewsNation affiliate KTVX show Molina was taken into custody on three counts of attempted aggravated murder with domestic violence enhancement and one count of interfering with a peace officer. He has been booked into the Utah County Jail.
Authorities say when they arrived on the scene, they found one of the stabbing victims subduing Molina in the front yard. Another victim had escaped the home before collapsing a few houses to the south. A third victim has been identified as the wife of the victim subduing Molina.
She spoke with officers while in the hospital, saying Molina rented a room from her and her husband in the basement of the home. While she was in the kitchen cooking dinner Monday night, Molina allegedly came into the home and “the two looked at each other.” Molina allegedly then went downstairs.
The woman says she continued cooking and heard another man they were renting to screaming, saying “he’s stabbing me.” Orem Police say the woman made her way to the stairway where she says she saw Molina charging up the stairs with his hands raised with a knife in his hand.
According to the woman, her 12-year-old son then ran out of the home to try and get help from a neighbor. Molina allegedly came after the woman with the knife. The woman told police she retreated to the dining room to try and avoid him as Molina tried to attack her. Her husband heard the commotion, entered the room, and started fighting Molina. The couple tried to disarm Molina.
In the process, Molina allegedly stabbed the man multiple times and bit him on the leg. The woman suffered a laceration to her arm and leg, and was also bitten by Molina on the elbow. According to police, the husband struck Molina with a chair several times in the head and neck area and was able to subdue him until officers arrived.
According to arresting documents, the third victim, after being stabbed, was able to exit the home and call 911 before collapsing. This man had been stabbed in the abdomen, the arm, and the back of the neck. He required surgery immediately and was in critical condition, so police have not yet been able to speak with him. The husband also requires surgery while the wife did not need further medical treatment.
When Orem Police were taking Molina into custody, they say he tried kicking officers. Molina was taken to another hospital for clearance. While there, police say Molina refused to speak with officers. He is now being held in the Utah County Jail.
Orem is 40 miles southeast of Salt Lake City.