Twenty-year-old Jabriel Levi Grisell of Scotts Valley was arrested for allegedly stabbing two men at a party in Santa Cruz last weekend.
Grisell, who is identified as a landscaper in County Jail records, was booked into jail on charges of attempted murder and assault after his arrest. He was being held on a $375,000 bail. But since charges were not filed Tuesday, he legally must be released from custody, assistant district attorney Dave Genochio said.
Grisell, who has no adult criminal record, knifed two acquaintances after a verbal argument escalated during a poker game, Santa Cruz police spokesman Zach Friend said.
The double stabbing occurred on Nov. 29 at 8 p.m. on the 100 block of Felix Street in Santa Cruz.
The District Attorney’s office was preparing to file charges by Tuesday, Dec. 1. However, new information surfaced that is now under investigation and the file charges are on hold, Genochio said.
“This investigation has become more complex than initially expected,” Genochio said.
According to police, Grisell and a 22-year-old man got into an argument that intensified. Grisell then supposedly pulled a knife and stabbed him, Friend said. Another 20-year-old man who lives in the apartment was also stabbed when he tried to break up the encounter.
Alcohol was involved, Friend said.
People at the party told police that they didn’t know what the two were arguing about and said that Grisell was friends with the 22-year-old.
After the incident, one victim went into a trauma center with multiple stab wounds to the chest and was upgraded to stable condition on Sunday morning. The other victim, who had at least one stab wound to the chest, was released from the hospital Saturday morning.
“One of the victims described Grisell as a friend,” Friend said.
Grisell, who was identified by other party-goers, fled the scene after the stabbings and was found an hour later at 9 p.m. near Cedar Street and Birch Lane, Friend said.
“Friends of the victim went looking for him as well,” Friend said
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