US

Illegal Immigrant Stabbed College Football Player To Death In Oregon

Chuck Ross Investigative Reporter
Font Size:

A man who fatally stabbed a 20-year-old college football player in the chest at an Oregon convenience store over the weekend was likely an illegal immigrant, authorities say.

Juventino Bermudez-Arenas stabbed Parker Moore several times at a 7-11 in McMinnville on Saturday. Bermudez-Arenas returned to the scene after fleeing, and was shot and killed by police who say the 33-year-old refused to drop the knife he used to stab Moore.

Moore was a sophomore business management major and played linebacker for Linfield. The team had just won a game 59-0 several hours before the incident.

Bermudez-Arenas’ family told KPTV that he did not speak English and that they believe he may not have understood police commands because of the language barrier.

His identity was also hard to pin down in the days after the attack, which led authorities to believe he he was an illegal immigrant.

“It is not believed that he was in the United States lawfully based on inconsistent Social Security numbers given to his employer, lack of official U.S. paperwork, and from information provided by his family,” the Yamhill County district attorney said in a statement. “Investigators continue to gather further background information on him.”

Based on records that they could find, authorities said Bermudez-Arenas was arrested for trespassing in 2000. He told police his name was “Jonventino Bermudes” and listed his birth date a month earlier than his actual birth date, KOIN reported.

Police have not determined a motive for the killing but have said it appears to be random. Bermudez-Arenas’s aunt told KPTV that after stabbing Moore, he went home to his family and said he had to go back to the store to turn himself in to police.

It is not clear if Bermudez-Arenas had ever come into contact with federal immigration agencies. Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not return an email request for more information.

Follow Chuck on Twitter