The suspect, who was arrested in Arizona after allegedly stabbing two women, is wanted by the New York Police Department for the killing of 38-year-old Denisse Oleas-Arancibia. According to authorities, she was found dead inside the SoHo 54 Hotel on Watts Street on Feb. 8, after being beaten over the head with an iron. Plastic from the appliance was also found embedded in her skull.
Almansoori has a prior record; he was out on bail at the time of Oleas-Arancibia’s slaying for allegedly kidnapping another sex worker and sexually assaulting her in Florida in 2023. However, Mitchell says she does not trust Bragg to prosecute him, despite the severity of his alleged crimes.
In a press briefing on Wednesday, Mitchell stated, “I know there has been a discussion about New York wanting to extradite this individual, and this is not aimed at the New York Police Department at all. I know they did a hard job, a good job, but we will not be agreeing to extradition.” She went on to say that she has instructed her extradition attorneys not to agree to the extradition, as she believes it is safer to keep Almansoori in custody in Arizona.
Furthermore, Mitchell expressed concern about Almansoori potentially being released under Bragg’s handling of violent criminals. “Having observed the treatment of violent criminals in the New York area by the Manhattan D.A. there, Alvin Bragg, I believe it is safer to keep him here and keep him in custody so that he cannot harm individuals either in our state or county or anywhere in the United States,” she said.
Almansoori is currently being held without bond and has not been able to post bail. A spokesperson for Bragg’s office responded to Mitchell’s comments by stating that murders and shootings have decreased since his inauguration and that New York’s murder rate is less than that of Phoenix, Arizona’s capital.
The suspect was apprehended in a stolen car by Arizona police on Sunday after allegedly attempting to rape a woman in a McDonald’s restroom. He was arrested on multiple charges, including attempted homicide, robbery, and assault. He also has an outstanding warrant in Texas.
The NYPD had been searching for Almansoori, who was seen leaving the scene of the crime wearing the same tight leggings that Oleas-Arancibia had on during her stay at the hotel. Police also discovered a pair of blood-splattered men’s pants near Oleas-Arancibia’s body.
According to authorities, Oleas-Arancibia was an Ecuadorian immigrant who moved to the U.S. five years ago with her 18-year-old son while leaving her other son behind. The spokesperson for Bragg’s office called Mitchell’s refusal to extradite the suspect a “slap in the face” to law enforcement and the victim, stating, “It is deeply disturbing that D.A. Mitchell is playing political games in a murder investigation…It is a slap in the face to them and to the victim in our case to refuse to allow us to seek justice and full accountability for a New Yorker’s death.”
As the legal battle for extradition continues, the victim’s family and the public wait for justice to be served in this senseless and brutal killing. Mitchell’s decision highlights the ongoing debate over the handling of violent criminals and the need for consistent and effective prosecution in these cases.
