Yakima- blood trail leads to arrest in stabbing death

Yakima police on Monday morning arrested a man they believe is responsible for the stabbing death of a 21-year-old man hours earlier.

Responding to a 2:30 a.m. call about an injured man near Pleasant Avenue and West Pierce Street, police said they found Ali Lemus Vargas in the street with multiple stab wounds to his head, chest and hands.

He was taken to a local hospital, but died a short time later, police said.

While at the scene, officers for several hours followed a trial of blood that led to a residence in the 1500 block of Seventh Avenue, where they found a 42-year-old man with hand injuries believed caused by a knife and a stab wound to his abdomen, police said.

Monday afternoon, two nearby residents said they didn't hear anything going on that morning.

Spray paint in the street marked where Vargas' body was found, and pointed out the trial of blood that ran along Pierce Street to Seventh Avenue.

Police said an interview with the suspect revealed that an argument between the two led to the stabbing.

Police said the suspect was booked into the Yakima County jail Monday on charges of second-degree murder.

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/02/15/blood-trail-leads-police-to-suspect-in-stabbing-death