Warrrant issued in wake of stabbing incident

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WORTHINGTON — A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Cesar Acosta, 27, of Worthington, for his alleged participation in a stabbing in July.

The last reported sighting of Acosta was in mid-July, and authorities believe he may have fled to Texas.

The complaint states a male was brought into the Windom Area Hospital July 12 with several stab wounds. Hospital records indicate three stab wounds in the man’s back were shallow with minimal bleeding, but the doctor’s notes regarding the wound on the victim’s stomach indicate when the man’s shirt was removed, blood sprayed the floor of the emergency room.

The two upper back wounds measured approximately four centimeters when closed, the lower wound was less than three centimeters, and the front wound had to be surgically repaired.

According to the criminal complaint, the victim stated Acosta had stabbed him while he was Acosta’s apartment in Worthington, which he shared with the victim’s female cousin. The victim had gone there to speak to Acosta about an argument between the two men that had taken place two weeks prior to the incident.

When he turned to leave the apartment, the victim said, he felt a blow to his back and thought Acosta had punched him. Then he saw blood and became frightened. He ran down the hall, but there was no exit, so he came back. As he approached Acosta’s door, the man allegedly stabbed him again, this time in the stomach.

The victim said he went to his girlfriend’s house in Heron Lake, and she took his to the hospital in Windom.

Using his cousin’s phone number, authorities located the apartment registered to her at the Thompson Apartments. They spoke to the manager, who said the woman in question lived in the apartment with her two small children and Acosta, and had asked the manager to find her a different apartment a week prior.

Law enforcement knocked at her apartment door and tried calling her phone, but got no response. They noted blood on the exterior of the door, and fearing for the woman’s safety, entered and searched the apartment, but found no one.

Acosta’s girlfriend was later located and interviewed. She stated she was present when the alleged stabbing incident took place in the hallway, but didn’t see anything. After the incident, she stated, Acosta told her, “I stabbed your cousin. Don’t be mad at me. I had to do it.”

She said she tried to go into the hallway and make sure her cousin was alright, but Acosta blocked her way with a baseball bat. Then he allegedly removed a knife from his pocket and went to wash the knife in the sink. She said he stayed at the apartment for about an hour after the incident, at one point listening to her end of a phone call she received. After she talked to her friend, Acosta allegedly removed the battery from her cell phone and took it with him when he left.

Before he left, she said, Acosta told her he was going after two more people for giving him a hard time at work. Acosta was scheduled to leave for Texas that day, and had a bus ticket in his possession.

Authorities followed several leads, including checking the bus station in Worthington, but were unable to locate Acosta. They did discover Acosta’s neighbor had given him a ride to a hotel, where he spent the night after registering under a false name.

In the request for a warrant for Acosta’s arrest, the complaint states, “He had a bus ticket to leave town and expressed an intent to go to Texas. Therefore, it is anticipated a summons will not secure his appearance in court. Further, due to the violent and apparently unprovoked nature of this alleged assault and allegations that the defendant threatened other acts of violence, the complainant believes the defendant should be arrested for public safety reasons.”

Tags: news, worthington, crime, stabbing