Golf Star Found Slain on Course — and Suspect Allegedly Had 'Urge to Rape and Kill a Woman'
The man accused of killing an Iowa State University golf star allegedly had “an urge to rape and kill women,” police said.
Collin Daniel Richards, 22, was charged Tuesday with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Celia Barquin Arozamena, a civil engineering student from Spain who was the university’s Female Athlete of the Year.
Barquin Arozamena was found dead Monday at Coldwater Golf Links in Ames.
At a press conference Tuesday morning, Ames Police Department Commander Geoff Huff said the 22-year-old golf star had suffered “stab wounds to the upper torso, head and neck.”
“It is really troubling that something like that would happen in broad daylight out in the middle of an area that is easily seen from a lot of locations,” Huff said. “It is extremely troubling.”
Huff said a motive for the slaying is unclear and there was no indication that Richards, who he described as homeless, knew Barquin Arozamena.
Huff also said that he didn’t know how long Richards may have been watching her.
“We don’t know how long he may have followed her,” he said.
The investigation, he said, was ongoing and so far Richards is the only suspect in the slaying.
Huff said police had “encounters” with Richards in the past.
In a statement posted to Twitter, Iowa State University president Wendy Wintersteen described Barquin Arozamena as a “talented student athlete and an acclaimed golfer with a bright future.”
“Our hearts are with Celia’s family and friends as we grieve her passing,” she wrote. “It’s a terrible, tragic and senseless loss.”
• Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.
According to a probable cause statement obtained by PEOPLE, during a search of the area after Barquin Arozamena was discovered, officers spoke to a man who had been camping with Richards along a nearby walking trail.
“The male was identified by officers, and upon initial contact, made a statement to the effect ‘what did he do to her?,’ ” the document stated.
“Celia had an infectious smile, a bubbly personality and anyone fortunate enough to know her was blessed. Our Cyclone family mourns the tragic loss of Celia, a spectacular student-athlete and ISU ambassador.” - ISU Athletics Director Jamie Pollard
????https://t.co/NmFiYlvvOV pic.twitter.com/qHVaqFE2jS— Iowa State WGolf (@CycloneWGOLF) September 18, 2018
The man told police that he had been staying near Richards in a homeless camp in the woods near the golf course and that within the last several days Richards made a “statement to the effect of having an urge to rape and kill a woman,” according to the police statement.
A scent dog from the Boone Sheriff’s office was brought in and tracked the victim’s scent from where she was found to the camp where Richards was living.
At the camp, officers said they were approached by Richards and noticed that he had several fresh scratches on his face “consistent with fighting” and that he was allegedly attempting to conceal a deep laceration in his left hand, which he tried to bury in the ground.
Richards was taken to the police station where he told officers that he had gone to somebody’s house to bathe.
“The people at that location described Richards as disheveled and covered with blood, sand and water,” Huff said.
According to the probable cause statement, during a search of the campsite, officers discovered a black backpack and two pair of shorts with stains that tested positive for human blood.
A knife was also recovered in the area.
According to CBS, Barquin Arozamena, a native of Puente San Miguel, Spain, was the third Iowa State women’s golfer to compete in the U.S. Women’s Open Championship. She was also ranked No.69 nationally by Golfweek, the station reports.
Richards made his first court appearance Tuesday. A judge set his bond at $5 million. Richards has not yet entered a plea, and PEOPLE’s call to his public defender was not immediately returned.
A preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 28.
