Police said the victim called her husband after she was attacked.
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — The stabbing death of a 65-year-old woman inside a Barnes & Noble near holiday crowds left shoppers and workers shaken in Palm Beach Gardens, where police said they arrested a 40-year-old man on a first-degree premeditated murder charge and were still trying to determine a motive.
Police identified the victim as Rita Loncharich and said she was attacked around 8 p.m. Mon. inside the bookstore at the Legacy Place shopping center. Officers found her injured inside and rushed her to a hospital, where she died, police said. The suspect, Antonio Moore, was taken into custody soon after, and he was expected to make a first court appearance on Wed. as detectives continued to gather witness accounts and evidence.
On Monday night, the shopping center was busy with people running errands and buying gifts when police received a report of a stabbing at the Barnes & Noble. Officers arriving at the store found Loncharich suffering from a stab wound and began emergency care, police said. She was transported to a local hospital but did not survive. Investigators said witnesses told police that a man ran out of the store after the stabbing, and officers began searching for a suspect while other detectives secured the scene.
Loncharich’s husband later described a brief call that brought the news home in the most personal way. He told a local TV station that his wife reached him by cellphone on Monday night and said she had been attacked. Police have not released details of what Loncharich said in the call or how long it lasted, and authorities have not said whether she was able to describe the attacker. Detectives also have not said whether the victim knew the suspect or whether they had any interaction before the attack.
Police arrested Moore, 40, and jail booking records listed a charge of first-degree premeditated murder. Authorities have not publicly outlined what evidence led to the arrest, including whether surveillance video captured the suspect’s movements or whether witnesses provided a description that matched Moore. Police have also not released a public account of the moments just before the stabbing, including where the victim was located in the store, how quickly the attack happened, and whether employees or customers tried to intervene.
Investigators said they were still working to determine a motive. Police have not announced whether they believe the stabbing was targeted or random, and they have not described any dispute or confrontation connected to the victim. They also did not release information about Moore’s background in initial public statements, and they did not say whether he made any statements after his arrest. Detectives continued to interview witnesses and review what happened inside the store, police said.
In a statement, Legacy Place management said it was “deeply saddened” by the customer’s death and offered condolences to the victim’s family and friends. The shopping center said police responded quickly and a suspect was taken into custody shortly after the incident. The statement also said safety remained a top priority, that management was working closely with law enforcement, and that it was reviewing security protocols with tenants while increasing on-site security presence.
For many residents, bookstores are familiar community spaces where people meet for coffee, read in comfortable chairs, and pick up gifts. The killing disrupted that sense of normal life, especially in the days leading up to Christmas. Police did not say whether the store closed for the remainder of the night, how long investigators remained inside collecting evidence, or whether additional officers were stationed at Legacy Place afterward. Authorities also did not say whether there were prior incidents at the location that influenced security planning.
Moore was expected to appear in court on Wed. morning, a first step in a case that could bring additional filings and hearings in the weeks ahead. Prosecutors may present early information about the charge and seek to keep Moore in custody, while defense counsel could begin raising questions about evidence and procedure. Police have not announced when they plan to release a more detailed timeline, and they said the investigation was continuing as they worked to answer the central question of why Loncharich was attacked.
As of Wed., police had confirmed the victim’s identity, the suspect’s arrest, and the murder charge, but they had not released a motive as the case moved into its first court milestone.
Author note: Last updated December 24, 2025.