Homicide detectives find alleged murder weapon in stabbing

Captain Robert Lewis of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station at the scene of fatal stabbing. photo by Austin Dave.
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Homicide detectives say they found the knife they believe is the weapon that claimed the life of a 29-year-old Canyon Country man.

On the morning of July 30, detectives with the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department’s Homicide Bureau began investigating the stabbing death of Brent Hariston.

Before the day was over, they arrested David Alonso Figueroa, 35, of Pacoima, on suspicion of murder.

What they didn’t have immediately was the murder weapon.

On Friday, Lt. John Corina of the LASD’s Homicide Bureau said the weapon used to stab Hariston to death was in the possession of investigators.

“We found the murder weapon at the scene,” he said. “It was a few houses down from the house where Hariston was found.

“When the suspect ran from the house, he ran in between houses,” Corina said.

“We followed that path and found it,” he said, noting the knife is now being “tested for blood.”

Corina described the incident as involving two men — the victim and the man accused of killing him — who met in rehab and who had agreed to meet that morning on the 27500 block of Dewdrop Avenue, with the intent to do some work together.

The two men began to argue, which escalated to the point where one man stabbed the other, Corina said at the time of arrest.

“He (the suspect) went to his friend’s house and they were going to work, house painting or something like that,” Corina told reporters at the scene.

“Somehow, for whatever reason, the suspect brings out a knife and stabs the victim multiple times,” he said.

At that point, the victim’s mother — described by Corina as a “good witness” — came out of the house, saw the attack and then called 911 immediately.

The suspect ran off as deputies with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station arrived.

Deputies set up a containment area in the neighborhood and, a short time later, apprehended a man they believe is the suspect.

The stabbing victim was rushed to the hospital but died later in the hospital, Corina said, describing the stabbing wounds as in the upper body.

As for the suspect, Corina said detectives noted during the arrest that his shirt was bloody.

Figueroa appeared in San Fernando Superior Court on Aug. 1 for arraignment. However, the arraignment was continued to this week. He is scheduled to be back in court Thursday.

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