A 65-year-old woman died after an attack in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Police in South Florida said a 65-year-old woman died after she was stabbed inside a Barnes & Noble on Mon. night, and a 40-year-old man was arrested and booked on a first-degree premeditated murder charge as investigators worked to determine a motive.
The killing, reported shortly before 8 p.m. at the Legacy Place shopping center, shook shoppers and store workers in a place often seen as quiet and routine. Police said the victim, identified as Rita Loncharich, was found inside the bookstore with a serious wound and was rushed to a hospital, where she later died. The suspect, Antonio Moore, was taken into custody not long after the attack, and authorities said the investigation remained active as they tried to piece together what led up to the stabbing.
Officers were called to the Barnes & Noble on Legacy Avenue after a report of a stabbing and arrived to find Loncharich injured inside the store, police said. Investigators said witnesses told them a man ran out of the building after the attack. Police and emergency crews provided aid and transported Loncharich to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead later that evening. “This investigation is active and ongoing,” the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department said in a statement, adding that detectives were still trying to determine a motive for the attack.
Moore, 40, was located and arrested soon after the stabbing, authorities said. Jail booking records listed a charge of first-degree premeditated murder. Police have not publicly detailed what they believe happened in the moments before Loncharich was stabbed, and they have not said whether the suspect and victim knew each other. Investigators also have not released information about whether Moore used a knife recovered at the scene, though officers described the incident as a stabbing and said the victim suffered stab wounds.
Loncharich’s husband told a local TV station that his wife called him on her cellphone on Monday night to say she had been attacked. Police have not released further details about her final moments, including where in the store she was when she was hurt or whether she spoke with officers at the scene. Authorities also have not said whether anyone else was injured, and police have not announced additional arrests connected to the case.
Managers at Legacy Place, the shopping center where the bookstore is located, issued a statement mourning the customer’s death and praising the quick response by police. “We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of a customer following an incident on property,” the statement said. The shopping center said a suspect was taken into custody shortly after the incident and that it was working with law enforcement while reviewing security measures and protocols with tenants.
Barnes & Noble did not immediately release a detailed statement about the stabbing, and it was not clear if the store would adjust hours or staffing following the killing. Police did not say whether the bookstore reopened after the crime scene was processed, or how long investigators remained at the site. Detectives typically review surveillance video and interview witnesses in homicide investigations, but authorities did not describe what evidence they had collected beyond witness accounts and the initial response.
Moore was expected to make an initial court appearance on Wed. morning, and prosecutors and defense counsel could address bond, the charge, and early scheduling at that hearing. Investigators may also seek a judge’s approval for additional warrants as they continue to collect records and interview witnesses. Police did not say whether Moore had an attorney listed in court records as of early Wed., and the department did not release details about any statements he may have made after his arrest.
For shoppers and workers who frequent the Legacy Place area, the killing drew an immediate and uneasy focus on safety in public spaces during the holiday season. Police asked anyone with information about what happened inside the store to speak with detectives, and authorities said they were continuing to interview people who were in the area Monday night. The department said it would provide updates as more information becomes available.
As of Wed., police had not announced a motive or described a relationship between the suspect and the victim, and the case remained under investigation ahead of Moore’s first court appearance.
Author note: Last updated December 24, 2025.