SMITHFIELD – Smithfield Police have released more details surrounding the homicide of a 62 year-old woman. Sandra Omary Juarez of Smithfield was brutally stabbed to death inside her room at the Baymont Inn on S. Equity Drive around 12:30pm Monday.
The victim, who had been a longtime resident at the motel, was reportedly in her room with the door open cooking lunch for motel staff members.
Police believe the suspect, Eric Jonathan Nelson, age 49, of Henderson, Nevada, reportedly attacked Ms. Juarez with a knife inside her room.
While repeating stabbing the 62 year-old victim, Nelson allegedly severed his own finger. The finger was recovered by police at the scene.
Nelson fled in a vehicle on Interstate 95. He was captured a few hours later near Emporia, Virginia.
Smithfield Police traveled to Virginia on Tuesday to question the suspect, who is charged with first degree murder. He is awaiting extradition to North Carolina.
Police Chief Pete Hedrick said. “This attack appears to been unprovoked. What motivated Nelson to commit this horrible crime remains under investigation. From witnesses on the scene, surveillance video at the hotel, intelligence from our Flock program (LPR license plate readers), to the undeniable physical evidence left on scene we feel 100 percent confident that we have the right person in custody.”
Chief Hedrick said the SBI was able to positively identify the severed finger recovered at the scene as Nelson’s through fingerprints.
Police said that Eric Nelson’s family attempted to report him as missing on Tuesday. That’s when they learned he was in custody on murder charges.
Smithfield Police believe Eric Nelson had been at the motel since at least Sunday. Anyone who had any interaction with Nelson that may help with the police investigation is urged to call 919-934-2121.
Why no comments from YT
Suspects don’t usually point at themselves!!!
They can’t, if they are missing their pointing finger.
send em back to Europe. we don’t need these kind of people in our community
This is absolutely senseless. May he never be allowed or free to kill another, Ms. Sandra was absolutely a great women and would have given anything she had.
Could they get the fingerprint off the finger left behind?
This man was in prison in 2015 for stabbing another person (they lived) and he was out why???
But let it be a hispanic or african american person these comments would be filled with those white people lol, they never seem to comment on their own kind
We probably should look into banning knives and modified sharp objects.
Better yet….concealed carry for knives.
Your kidding right?
Nelson should have severed his head. Saved the taxpayers money. Animal!
This still bothers me how he was out she was a kind woman. The fact there was no motive pissed me off.
Knew Sandra for a long time.. She was a very nice person!!!!really a sad day…..