1 arrested in Pasco stabbing of homeless sex offender

A Pasco man is facing murder charges after an early morning stabbing of a homeless sex offender.

The men reportedly were among a group of people at a shed or garage on the 200 block of Sixth Avenue when a fight broke out, said police Sgt. Scott Warren.

Demetrius Graves, 39, was found dead in the street near an alley in the residential area near downtown about 4 a.m.

By 2 p.m., police had found suspect Hector Orozco Jr., 42, at the Rodeway Inn in east Pasco and arrested him on investigation of second-degree murder.

He was booked into the Franklin County jail.

It’s unclear if the men previously knew each other.

Graves was a Level 3 sex offender registered with the state. Level 3 offenders are considered the highest risk to reoffend.

On Monday, Franklin County sheriff’s officials had issued a routine notice to the public that Graves was now living in the area as a transient.

He had a 2014 conviction for indecent exposure in Walla Walla County, according to the public notice.

Candice Hermanson, Franklin County’s chief deputy coroner, said Graves had no family to notify about his death.

Orozco had just been released Tuesday from the Franklin County jail.

Online court records show he has convictions for assault, drug and alcohol problems, hindering police and attempting to elude police.

This story was originally published February 14, 2018 at 8:22 AM with the headline "1 arrested in Pasco stabbing of homeless sex offender."