SANTA MONICA – Authorities Wednesday identified the homeless man stabbed to death in the north courtyard of the Santa Monica Main Library, allegedly by another homeless man.
The stabbing occurred around 7:15 p.m. Friday at 601 Santa Monica Blvd., near Sixth Street, according to Santa Monica police spokesman Myesha Morrison.
Rimond Esmaeil Blandi, 46, died at the scene, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office.
The suspect, later identified as 34-year-old Quade Larry Colbert, allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed Blandi twice, Morrison said.
Colbert ran from the scene. He was tracked down and arrested Sunday around 2:35 p.m. by SMPD homicide detectives, according to Los Angeles County jail records and Morrison.
Colbert is being held on $2 million bail, according to jail records. He was scheduled to appear at the Airport Courthouse on Tuesday.
Anyone with information on this homicide was asked to call SMPD detectives at either 310-458-8941 or 310-458-8451. Tipsters can also call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
The homicide was the first of the year in Santa Monica, Lt. Tina Greer told City News Service. There were two homicides in Santa Monica in 2021 and one in 2020, Greer said.
