Tragic Stabbing at Barnes & Noble: Man Accused of Fatally Stabbing Woman in Palm Beach Gardens
A man named Antonio R. Moore, aged 40, has been accused of fatally stabbing a 65-year-old woman, Rita B. Loncharich, inside a Barnes & Noble store in Palm Beach Gardens. Moore, who is not a Florida resident, had traveled through several states, including Georgia and North Carolina, before arriving in Florida. He boarded a bus from Orlando to Titusville on December 15 and continued his journey to Palm Beach County.
According to the arrest affidavit, Moore entered the bookstore around 7:29 p.m. and stabbed Loncharich in the back with a pocketknife. He claimed it was a "fight or flight" response and that he did not know the victim prior to the attack. Bystanders assisted Loncharich until emergency responders arrived, but she passed away during surgery at St. Mary’s Medical Center.
Police received a 911 call at 7:52 p.m. and apprehended Moore a few blocks away from the crime scene without incident. Moore, who is homeless, offered no motive for the attack and admitted to charging his phone in the store before the stabbing. He has been charged with first-degree premeditated murder and is currently held without bond by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
Local family and community members remembered Loncharich as a kind and gentle person whose life was tragically cut short during what should have been a routine holiday outing. The Palm Beach Gardens Police Department has been contacted for further information on the case.