AUSTIN, Texas — Austin police on Wednesday reported the arrest of a Hispanic man in connection with the stabbing of his roommate.
Apparently, it all started with a dispute over heating some tortillas.
Jose Luis Bustos Palomos, 48, faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony.
On Sept. 6, officers responded to a South Austin hospital in response to a complaint from the victim, who said the stab wound occurred the day before in the parking lot of a La Mexicana branch at 5717 I-35 North. He said he knew Bustos before living with him and that they had been roommates for about a year.
According to the injured man, on Thursday, September 5, the two had been drinking and cooking a barbecue outside their home when the victim came inside and Bustos followed him. The victim then saw the suspect preparing to heat up some tortillas and told him it was not necessary. It was then that, without giving any reason, Bustos became enraged and attacked the victim, knocking her to the ground. They then separated and went to sleep.
At around 7:34 the next morning, the victim was picked up for work and was sitting in the backseat of the pickup truck. As the vehicle entered the parking lot of La Mexicana, the victim saw Bustos approach the truck, assuming he was also going to work as usual, but instead, the suspect allegedly stabbed the victim in the leg with an unknown object as he exited the vehicle.
The victim said Bustos tried to hit him again, hitting him in the other leg. Bustos chased him, yelling “I’m going to kill you!” but the victim managed to lock himself back in the truck and was taken home and later to the hospital.
Police observed that the victim had one-inch lacerations on both legs.
APD is asking anyone with additional information regarding this incident to call 512-472-8477.
