LOS ANGELES (KTLA)-
A 23-year-old CSUN student from Saudi Arabia whose body was found off the 10 Freeway near Palm Springs was fatally stabbed by a Long Beach man who responded to the student’s online ad to sell his car, police said Monday.
Fernandez was charged with one count of murder with the special circumstances of murder during a robbery and murder during a carjacking. The defendant allegedly used a knife, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Agustin Rosendo Fernandez, 28, of Long Beach appeared in court Monday to face allegations against him in the death of Abdullah Abdullatif Alkadi, who was last seen Sept. 17.
Fernandez responded to an ad Alkadi posted on Craigslist for an Audi A6 for sale for more than $30,000, LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said at an afternoon news conference Monday.
After the two men met at Alkadi’s house, at some point Fernandez allegedly killed Alkadi in an attempt to keep the money and the car, Beck said.
“This is a very sad case,” Beck said. “The time that the money is exchanged is a very dangerous time for people that are selling vehicles. … This was an attempt by Mr. Fernandez to get it both ways, to take the car and to keep the money.”
Police said Sunday that two people had been arrested in the case, but no other information was immediately provided. The second person was no longer in custody and it was not certain if charges would be filed against that individual, Beck said Monday.
According to county inmate records, Fernandez was arrested by LAPD Thursday morning, before the body was reported found. He was booked about 8 a.m. Friday. Alkadi’s body was discovered late Thursday night near the 10 Freeway in Palm Desert. Beck did not say how the body got to the site, nearly 150 miles east of Alkadi’s home.
Fernandez was in possession of the Audi when he was arrested, and there was evidence related to the stabbing death in the vehicle, Beck said.
During Monday’s news conference, Beck repeatedly declined to answer detailed questions about the case, saying answers would damage the prosecution’s ability to get a conviction.
He warned the public to be wary when using online sites “for anything,” saying they are “opportunities to let unwanted people into your life.”
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