PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL – An ordinary evening at a bustling bookstore ended in tragedy on Monday, when a man fatally stabbed a 65-year-old woman inside a Barnes & Noble at a popular shopping center.
Witnesses said the tranquil atmosphere of the store on Legacy Avenue was shattered just before 8 p.m., when screams echoed from an aisle. Officers responding to the scene found Rita Loncharich unconscious, a knife lodged in her back. Despite being rushed to a local hospital, she died during surgery.
Detectives pieced together what unfolded through witness statements and security footage. The suspect, identified as 40-year-old Antonio Moore, did not know Loncharich, according to authorities. He was apprehended about a quarter-mile away in a nearby wooded area after reportedly fleeing the scene on foot.
Investigators learned Moore had recently arrived in South Florida from Georgia, traveling by bus less than a week prior to the attack. He told officers he had stopped at the bookstore to charge his phone and had no previous contact with the victim.
Law enforcement described Moore’s account of the moments leading up to the stabbing. He allegedly referred to an “internal buildup” that led to what he called a “fight or flight” response. In that moment, authorities said, he pulled a knife from his jacket and stabbed Loncharich, who was the nearest person to him.
Witnesses recounted seeing Loncharich react in disbelief as the attack occurred, reportedly exclaiming she had been stabbed. The chaos that erupted sent several customers and staff rushing for safety as Moore exited the store and disappeared into the woods.
Police arrested Moore not far from the scene, and prosecutors charged him with first-degree murder. He is currently being held without bond at the Palm Beach County Jail and is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Jan. 22.
In the aftermath, management at Legacy Place, the shopping plaza where the incident unfolded, pledged to bolster security measures and review safety protocols. The community continues to grapple with the shock of a violent act in such a public and typically peaceful space.
No motive beyond Moore’s statement about an “internal buildup” has been established by investigators. Authorities have not indicated whether mental health concerns may have played a role.
As the investigation continues, Palm Beach Gardens residents and businesses are left mourning the loss of a customer whose ordinary visit to a familiar local shop ended in senseless violence.