The Herald reports that a Mountlake Terrace man, Francisco Rubio-Diaz, is being held on a $1 million bond for the alleged murder of another man in a fight on Wednesday at a Lynnwood apartment. The south Lynnwood apartment is located in the Heather Ridge apartment complex, is just a few blocks from the MLT city limits.

Witnesses told investigators that Rubio-Diaz and two other men went to drink beer at an apartment there. Rubio-Diaz found a case of Corona beer on the front steps of the apartment and picked it up. The victim came out of the apartment and confronted Rubio-Diaz about taking his beer, according to the police affidavit.

The men squared off and Rubio-Diaz punched Ramirez in the face, giving him a bloody nose. The fight broke up quickly and the men appeared to make amends and began drinking together, witnesses told police.

A short time later Ramirez walked around the building and came back holding a 2-by-4 fence board. He walked a few steps into the parking lot and yelled out to Rubio-Diaz. Ramirez, who was El Salvadorian, made a derogatory comment to Rubio-Diaz about being Mexican, the suspect told police. Rubio-Diaz told police the insult made him angry so he grabbed a beer bottle, broke the bottom off and chased after Ramirez.

The victim ran off but Rubio-Diaz caught up with him. The suspect said Ramirez swung the fence board at him and he caught it. They wrestled over the board and it was shoved into Rubio-Diaz’s chest. He told police that he threw the bottle at Ramirez, striking him in the neck or head, according to the police affidavit.

The men continued to fight until Ramirez fell to the ground. Rubio-Diaz allegedly told police he grabbed the 2-by-4 like a baseball bat and swung as hard as he could at Ramirez’s face. He allegedly told police he hit him three times.

One witness said that Rubio-Diaz hit the victim five times in the head.

Read more at the Herald and Lynnwood Today.

[Image courtesy Lynnwood Today]
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