Man and woman arrested in stabbing at Motel 6 in Costa Mesa
Police have arrested a man and a woman on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with an early-morning stabbing at a Costa Mesa Motel 6 this week.
Officers detained Adrian Ramey Hall, 26, of Norwalk at an auto repair shop in Cerritos on Tuesday afternoon and soon afterward arrested Passhunae Ruff, 24, of Long Beach at a Fullerton motel where investigators believe the two were staying.
Police allege they found the knife used in the stabbing in a trash can at the motel.
Investigators identified the pair as suspects after interviewing witnesses and watching surveillance video from the Motel 6 in the 2200 block of Newport Boulevard where the stabbing occurred around 4 a.m. Monday, authorities said.
According to Costa Mesa police, the footage shows a confrontation that ended with a 25-year-old Newport Beach man stabbed in the torso.
Police said they believe Ruff met with the stabbing victim at the motel.
“The two argued about money and Ruff tried to leave,” the Costa Mesa Police Department said in a statement.
The Newport Beach man apparently had given Ruff money, and when he tried to get it back from her, there was a struggle, according to the department.
Costa Mesa police Lt. Paul Beckman declined to say why the man gave Ruff money or exactly what they argued about.
Ruff left, but she returned a few moments later with Hall in a white Dodge Charger, police said.
“Hall confronted the victim and an altercation occurred which resulted in the victim being stabbed,” police said.
After the stabbing, police released photos of the Charger and its license plate number in an attempt to find suspects.
Police said the Charger had been rented and that investigators found it near Los Angeles International Airport after it was returned to the rental company.
Hall and Ruff were booked into Orange County Jail with bail set at $1 million each, according to police.
In January 2013, Ruff pleaded guilty to loitering with the intent to commit prostitution. In April that year, she pleaded guilty to agreeing to engage in prostitution.
In 2012, she pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of falsely representing herself to a police officer.
--
Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck
