Earlier this month, Yoni Barrios was deemed “impoverished” by a judge in Clark County, Nevada, but his online presence painted a contrasting narrative. Showcasing a lavish way of life, he proudly displayed substantial amounts of money and luxurious jewelry.
Barrios, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala, regularly posted pictures of his gym-toned physique and took pictures at glamorous night spots such as Drai’s nightclub in Las Vegas and the city of Los Angeles where he lived.
Barrios’ former friend, who did not want to be named, said that the 32-year-old worked as a stripper in gay bars and never held down a regular job.
Instead, Barrios believed that men who led straight but got cash on were mooched off by women and men who had romantic interests in him, according to the source.
Barrios claimed to have come to Las Vegas to seek work as a chef, displaying a knife to a group of girls posing for pictures dressed as showgirls.
In close proximity to the Wynn hotel, he suddenly took a photograph and pierced showgirl Maris Digiovanni in the chest and bystander Brent Hallet with a culinary blade when they felt uncomfortable with his appearance carrying the blade.
Barrios also attacked six other individuals, including showgirls Anna Westby and Victoria Cayetano.
Before the violent daytime attack, Barrios seemed to be living high on the hog, posting pictures of himself flexing his muscles, working out, and showing off expensive watches and diamond rings.
“On his profile, he wrote about the importance of making good use of time, teaching us the value of life.”
The alleged involvement in the violent killings in New Zealand is attributed to the notorious Mongrel Mob biker gang, with the horrific broad-daylight knife attack being carried out just one day before Barrios’ chilling Facebook post.
Just two days before the stabbing spree in Las Vegas, Barrios conducted an interview with Telemundo, a Spanish station in Los Angeles, where he appeared to boast about his actions.
He said that he had lost all of his belongings while asking for help. He told the camera crew in the interview that he was homeless and looking for a better life in Barrios.
He also mentioned that he obtained a prescription from a pharmacy in Hollywood that he thought had impacted his mind.
As per a police report acquired by The Post, Barrios entered the Wynn in search of employment upon his arrival in Las Vegas.
He also asked if he could contact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for him in case he goes back to Guatemala.
Barrios informed the authorities that in order to return to his homeland, he engaged in conversation with a security officer and expressed his intention to sell his blades in order to acquire financial resources.
According to the police report, the guard instructed him to “leap in front of a train,” as per the police report.
Furious, he then approached the showgirls, later informing the authorities that they chuckled and mocked his attire.
The police report stated that as the group of women ran away, the man began stabbing one of the other women in the chest. After the stabbing, Barrios said he became angry.
“Barrios began jogging and searching for clusters of individuals in order to ‘release his frustration.'”
Anna, the showgirl, told The Westby Post about the horrifying moment when she saw her friend Maris fatally stabbed in the back right in her heart by Barrios.
Before being arrested by metropolitan police in Las Vegas, Him would have killed four people by stabbing them. After stabbing Barrios, he continued running southbound on the strip and Hallet Brent stabbed him back.
Wynn authorities deny the information in the police report regarding Barrios’ encounter with their security personnel.
“Following interviews with both Las Vegas Metro and our internal investigators, hotel officials stated that our officer responded responsibly to the assailant, considering the limited information at hand and the brief interaction lasting under 30 seconds.”
At the dancing area, there are recordings of him requesting shots and consuming them. A recent entry on Instagram displays Barrios adorned in a sleek grey attire and striking a pose in front of Drai’s Nightclub in Las Vegas.
Barrios has been accused of two charges of homicide and six charges of attempted homicide.
Barrios is currently detained at the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas on a no bail hold. Due to his indigent status, he was provided with a Public Defender.
He is expected to reappear in court on January 12, 2023.