Charges Filed in Northland Stabbing Death Case

LIBERTY, Mo. — A Northland man has been charged in the fatal stabbing death of another man near a Gladstone home on Monday night.

Luis Fernando Morales-Hernandez, 27, faces first-degree murder and armed criminal action charges in connection to the stabbing death of 25-year-old Juan Orozco-Vargas near a home near NW 64th Street and N. Wyandotte in Gladstone late Monday night.

Orozco-Vargas died of his wounds on Tuesday morning after his girlfriend tried to rush him to an area hospital, but realized his injuries were critical and stopped at a Kansas City fire station in the 8100 block of N. Oak Trafficway.

The Fire Department called for police and an ambulance, however Orozco-Vargas died at the hospital.

Related: Woman Tries to Save Stabbed Boyfriend

According to authorities, neighbors say that Orozco-Vargas was in his girlfriend’s car when the two exchanged words with two men in another car. One of the neighbors believes one of the men, Morales-Hernandez, was an ex-boyfriend of Vargas’ girlfriend.

Neighbors say the new boyfriend and the ex got out of their cars and started fighting.

“It started as a fist fight, escalated to murder,” said a neighbor. The woman said it was dark out and believes the victim didn’t realize the other man had a knife.

Detectives say the girlfriend claimed not to know who stabbed Orozco-Vargas, telling police she drove up to her boyfriend’s town home right after he was stabbed and saw an unidentified suspect run away.

“I just don’t understand. I am devastated. It has to stop. This violence has to stop,” a neighbor said.

If convicted, Morales-Hernandez could face the death penalty. He is now in custody at the Clay County Jail.