Post by Graveyardbride on Jan 4, 2014 17:39:25 GMT -5
Arrest made in stabbing death of Arkansas student
SAN ANTONIO, Tex. – A suspect in the stabbing death of Lauren Bump, 24, of Searcy, Arkansas, was arrested Saturday at O.P. Schnabel Park, where Bump's body was discovered on New Year's Eve.
Christian Ivan Bautista, 29, was charged early Saturday with the murder of the 24-year-old university student, authorities said.
Bump was found stabbed to death on a trail at the Northwest Side park around 5:30 p.m. December 31. She was a graduate student at Harding University in Searcy.
A woman discovered Bump's body lying facedown on the trail, according to the arrest warrant affidavit. She provided a description of a suspicious man she saw on the same trail “pacing back and forth” and, later, sitting on the trail.
Police responded to a call about a suspicious person at the park Friday, whose description matched the man sought in connection with the crime.
Bautista was taken into custody and questioned about his whereabouts at the time of the slaying. The arrest warrant affidavit states he was arrested on unrelated outstanding warrants. The county records office however said Bautista was arrested with a preemptive fugitive warrant for Bump's murder, which was issued December 31.
Police report that Bautista denied being at the park New Year's Eve, but later said he had been there but was not involved in the killing.
Bautista's roommate was also questioned. He said he gave Bautista a military-style knife as a Christmas gift. He last saw the knife December 30 when Bautista had it tucked in his waistband, the report states.
When the roommate asked about the knife New Year's Day, he said Bautista said, “I stuck that bitch. I cut her up real nice.” Bautista allegedly told his roommate he disposed of the knife.
Bautista was also arrested in 2007 for aggravated robbery and two counts of possession of marijuana. He later pled no contest to the charges.
Sources: MySA and ArkansasMatters.