Man suspected in Motel 6 stabbing that prompted Amber Alert arrested in south Modesto
The man suspected of stabbing his son’s mother then disappearing with their child, promoting an Amber Alert over the weekend, has been arrested.
Walter Fernando Zuniga Lara, 38, was located in the 1700 block of Olympia Street in South Modesto Sunday night. He was booked into jail on suspicion of attempted murder, domestic violence and inflicting great bodily injury during a felony.
Zuniga had been wanted since Saturday when he allegedly stabbed the mother of his 11-year-old child in the parking lot of Motel 6 on West Orangeburg Avenue.
Authorities said Monday she remains hospitalized in serious, but stable condition.
Following the stabbing, Zuniga is suspected of going to another location and taking his son, Adler Lopez Lara.
Modesto Police issued an Amber Alert and the boy was found safe the following morning.
In a statement posted on the Modesto Police Department’s Facebook page Monday morning, detectives thanked “members of the community who assisted in the safe recovery of Adler Lara and the arrest of Walter Lara.”
Bear said the department received a number of calls about possible sightings of the suspect’s vehicle.
Department spokeswoman Sharon Bear said many aspects of the crime remain under investigation so she did not have details about where the child was found, from where he was originally taken or his and his father’s whereabouts while they were missing.
She said the circumstances of the stabbing also remain under investigation because detectives have not been able to get a statement from the victim.
Zuniga Lara remained in custody Monday morning with bail set at $600,000. Bear said detectives could add kidnapping to the charges.
This story was originally published July 5, 2021 at 9:39 AM with the headline "Man suspected in Motel 6 stabbing that prompted Amber Alert arrested in south Modesto."
