😱 SHOCKING CONFESSION: Man calmly tells cops he stabbed a 65-year-old grandma to death in a packed bookstore… just because she was “the closest person” to him?!

“I felt an internal build-up… fight or flight kicked in.”

No motive. No words exchanged. Just pure random horror caught on CCTV as he plunged the knife into her back while she shopped for Christmas gifts.

She called her husband in her final moments: “I’ve been stabbed…”

This happened DAYS before Christmas in a quiet Florida Barnes & Noble. Is nowhere safe anymore?

Full chilling details + surveillance hints in the comments… You won’t believe what he did next. 👇🔥

A 40-year-old man has been charged with first-degree premeditated murder following the fatal stabbing of a 65-year-old woman inside a Barnes & Noble bookstore in Palm Beach Gardens on December 22, 2025, authorities said.

Antonio Roderick Moore was arrested shortly after the incident and remains held without bond in the Palm Beach County Jail. According to a probable cause affidavit released by the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department, Moore confessed to the stabbing, describing it as stemming from an “internal build-up” that triggered a “fight or flight response,” with the victim simply being the nearest person in the store.

The victim, identified as Rita Berenice Loncharich, was browsing in the bookstore at Legacy Place shopping center around 7:53 p.m. when the attack occurred. Officers responding to reports of a stabbing found Loncharich unresponsive with a fixed-blade knife lodged in her back. Paramedics from Palm Beach Gardens Fire Rescue transported her to St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach, where she underwent surgery but succumbed to her injuries at 9:22 p.m.

Witnesses inside the store reported seeing a man stab the woman and flee on foot. Store surveillance footage and eyewitness descriptions aided investigators in quickly locating Moore in a wooded area approximately 1,500 feet from the bookstore, near Fairchild Avenue and Campus Drive. He was taken into custody without incident.

In a recorded interview after being advised of his Miranda rights, Moore allegedly admitted to the act. He told detectives he had no prior interaction with Loncharich and no specific motive for the attack. Moore reportedly stated he had arrived in the Palm Beach Gardens area about a week earlier via bus from Georgia and was in the bookstore charging his phone at the time.

According to the affidavit, Moore described experiencing an internal pressure that escalated into a fight-or-flight reaction. He allegedly pulled a fixed-blade knife from his jacket pocket and stabbed Loncharich in the back. Moore claimed he heard the victim exclaim, “He stabbed me,” and noted she appeared shocked before he ran from the scene.

Loncharich’s husband told investigators that his wife called him on her cell phone moments after the stabbing, informing him she had been attacked. Family members have described Loncharich as a beloved mother and grandmother who was out shopping, possibly for holiday gifts, in the days leading up to Christmas.

Moore made his first court appearance on December 24, 2025, before Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Donald Hafele. The judge described the case as “tragic” and ordered Moore held without bond after finding probable cause for the first-degree murder charge. A public defender was appointed to represent him.

The incident has shaken the local community, with shoppers expressing disbelief that such violence could occur in a familiar retail setting. One customer, speaking to local media but declining to give his full name, said, “It’s terrible that anybody can’t walk into a regular store without being fearful of being stabbed.” Another patron called the event “shocking,” noting the bookstore’s typically calm atmosphere.

Barnes & Noble issued a statement expressing deep sadness over the loss of a customer but declined to comment further on the ongoing police investigation.

Palm Beach Gardens police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the stabbing. Detectives have utilized witness statements, employee accounts, and internal store video to build the case. No additional suspects are being sought, and authorities have classified the attack as unprovoked.

Moore’s background includes indications of recent transience, with reports suggesting he had been living in nearby wooded areas. He reportedly carried personal bags into the store and was using an outlet to charge his device prior to the incident.

The charging of first-degree premeditated murder carries significant penalties in Florida, including the possibility of life imprisonment or the death penalty, though the state has specific protocols for capital cases.

This case adds to concerns about random acts of violence in public spaces. While stabbings account for a portion of homicides nationally—FBI data indicates knives or cutting instruments were involved in roughly 9% of murders between 2020 and recent years—incidents in everyday locations like bookstores remain rare but highly impactful.

Community reactions have included calls for increased awareness and security measures in retail environments. Local officials have not announced any immediate changes but emphasized the rapid response by law enforcement in apprehending the suspect.

As the investigation proceeds, Moore’s next court date is scheduled for early January 2026. Prosecutors with the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office will handle the case moving forward.

The death of Rita Loncharich has left family and friends grieving during the holiday season. Tributes have highlighted her kindness and family-oriented nature. Authorities have urged anyone with additional information to contact the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department.

This developing story underscores the unpredictability of violent crime and the swift work of investigators in securing an arrest and confession in a high-profile case.