Police identify man sought in fatal hookah lounge stabbing

By Jackie Valley

Thursday, Aug. 25, 2011 | 12:45 p.m.

An arrest warrant has been issued for 36-year-old Eddy Rodriguez in connection with a fatal stabbing at a hookah lounge earlier this month.

Metro Police said Rodriguez should be considered armed and dangerous. He has been known to carry a four-inch pocket knife, according to an arrest warrant.

Rodriguez allegedly stabbed to death 49-year-old Frank Almenares, who also went by the name Francisco Rodriguez, Aug. 13 at the Layalina Hookah Lounge in the 6800 block of West Spring Mountain Road.

The suspect’s ex-girlfriend told police he arrived at the lounge and immediately approached Almenares, apparently punching him several times in the chest, according to the arrest report. When Rodriguez left, she realized Almenares had been stabbed during the attack, the report alleges.

Another man, Juan Carlo Miranda, suffered a stab wound to his arm during the incident while he tried to intervene, police said.

Detectives contacted Rodriguez’s current girlfriend, who told them she had allowed him to borrow her Toyota Sequoia Aug. 12 but forgot her purse inside the vehicle, according to the warrant.

Rodriguez allegedly asked her for her bank card’s PIN, but she refused. She went to the hookah lounge about 11 p.m. that day with friends but ran to the bathroom when Rodriguez arrived, fearful he would be mad about the bank card situation, according to the warrant.

She reported her Toyota Sequoia stolen after she realized Rodriguez had been involved in a fight at the hookah lounge, according to the warrant. The abandoned vehicle later was recovered at her friend’s house, where detectives found blood splatter inside, police said.

Miranda, who suffered a stab wound, identified Rodriguez as the suspect when police showed him a photo lineup, according to the warrant. The arrest warrant was issued based on interviews and evidence collected.

Police described Rodriguez as Hispanic, 5-feet-11-inches tall and weighing about 200 pounds.

Anyone with information about Rodriguez’s location is being asked to contact Metro’s homicide section at (702) 828-3521 or, to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555 or visit crimestoppersofnv.com.