Las Vegas Strip Alleged Stabber Found Competent to Stand Trial on Murder, Terrorism Charges

Las Vegas Strip Alleged Stabber Found Competent to Stand Trial on Murder, Terrorism Charges.

Costfoto / NurPhoto / Getty Images

Key Takeaways

The man accused of that left two people dead and six injured on the Las Vegas Strip is able to stand trial following a two-year stay in a hospital.

Yoni BarriosYoni Barrios, pictured above in a Las Vegas courtroom. He s now competent to stand trial for a stabbing spree. (Image: KSNV)

, 34, is scheduled to appear in Las Vegas court on Monday after he was indicted last week on 15 counts for the October 6, 2022 attacks.

A Clark County grand jury added a terrorism charge against Barrios, who’s also facing two counts of murder, as well as battery and attempted murder charges, according to Las Vegas TV station KSNV.

Barrios Received Treatment

Last week, Clark County District Court Judge Christy Craig ruled that Barrios is now to stand trial after receiving treatment at a Nevada psychiatric hospital.

Based on the judge’s ruling, Craig concluded that Barrios now understands the charges against him and can assist lawyers in his defense.

The incident began when Barrios went up to street performers appearing to be . He asked them to pose with him for a photo while he was holding a foot-long kitchen knife near the Wynn Las Vegas. They refused to take a picture.

But he believed them to be making fun of him, and he became angry. He allegedly stabbed two of the performers. He then allegedly stabbed six other people on Las Vegas Boulevard.

Brent Allan Hallett, 47, of Canada, and Maris Mareen DiGiovanni, 30, of Las Vegas, both died from their wounds.

During a court appearance on Friday, Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney John Giordani said Barrios chose whom to stab “indiscriminately,” according to Las Vegas TV station KLAS.

The surviving victims of the attack later said the women weren’t laughing at him, but were frightened of the situation, according to news reports.

Barrios was apprehended by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officers after the attacks. He told the police he was residing in California, and was trying to sell knives to earn enough money so he could travel back home, according to KLAS.

Shortly before the , Barrios attempted to get a janitor’s job at the Wynn Las Vegas, KLAS reported.

After the stabbing spree, he tossed the blood-covered knife into some bushes, police said.

It was reported by the New York Post that Barrios had worked previously as a stripper. He also was identified as an illegal immigrant into the U.S. from Guatemala, the Post reported.

Crime Spree Got Attention

The deadly incident received national attention.

On October 8, 2023, during a well-attended campaign rally in Minden, Nev., Donald Trump called Barrios a “sadistic murderer” who went on a “heinous” stabbing spree.

“The perpetrator was an illegal alien with a criminal record a mile long in California,” Trump added. “But the bloodthirsty killer was unknown to law enforcement because of California’s barbaric sanctuary city policies.”

Article Sources
Encore Boston Harbor Vacuuming Up Hospitality Market Workforce, Complain Local Businesses editorial policy.
  1. Harrah’s Unveils Nebraska Racetrack Plan, $75M Casino Development in Columbus

Compare Accounts
×
Philippines Casinos Predicted To Earn More Than Macau Gaming Operators, Financial Firm Says
Provider
Name
Description
Nebraska Casino Expansion Proponents Secure Legislative Victory  Bill to Restore Mashpee Land Rights and Casino Ambitions Passed by US House, Despite Trump Opposition  Canada Green Lights Single-Game Sports Betting In Win for theScore, Other Gaming Companies  Despite Ongoing Chaos, Wynn Resorts Boosting Annual Dividends, as State of Oregon Files Latest Lawsuit  Imperial Pacific International Owes Millions For Failed Casino, Commission Asks for Government Intervention  Nevada Casinos Win $1.27B in January, Improve on Record-Setting 2022  ‘Pawn Stars’ Regular Corey Harrison Busted for DUI in Las Vegas  Former Gun Lake Casino Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing $84K  Bill to Restore Mashpee Land Rights and Casino Ambitions Passed by US House, Despite Trump Opposition  Carl Icahn Denies Having Steel Tariff Knowledge Before Dumping Stocks