Victim Stabbed at Dinner Table ‘Without Provocation,’ Police Say

The 29-year-old man charged in Wednesday night’s tried to stab himself when confronted by police that night after he fled the scene, according to documents filed in Montgomery County District Court.

Carlos Tiul-Tiul has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Tomas Mo-Choc, 27, who lived at the residence in the 14100 block of Travilah Road.

Police charging documents filed in Montgomery County District Court describe the following scenario:

Co-workers were gathered around the dining room table at around 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday when Tiul-Tiul stabbed Mo-Choc several times “without provocation” in the back and abdomen. Their employer called police, who found Tiul-Tiul walking down Travilah Road carrying a knife. When they ordered him to drop it, he refused, then tried to stab himself in the stomach. Police found a bloody knife on the scene.

At Tiul-Tiul’s bail review hearing today, Montgomery County Deputy State’s Attorney John Maloney said that the men were watching a television show about a love triangle, which prompted Tiul-Tiul to wonder whether Mo-Choc was romantically involved with his wife.

Maloney asked that Tiul-Tiul be psychologically evaluated.

Tiul-Tiul appeared from county jail via closed circuit TV, where he is being held without bail.

“I don’t understand why this is happening to me,” he said in Spanish.

Judge Patricia L. Mitchell denied bail pending his trial.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed a detainer on Tiul-Tiul yesterday, according to county jail officials. ICE places detainers—similar to a warrant—on arrestees who are in the country illegally or whom the agency believes might be.

Online court records give Tiul-Tiul a Kentucky address.

The Gazette reported that Mo-Choc and Tiul-TIul were roommates at the North Potomac home and that they worked for Adrian’s Lawn Service, LLC. A spokeswoman for Montgomery County Police could not confirm that information.

Online state tax records list the home as property of “Adrian W. Guerra, et al.” The police charging documents say that “Adrin Guerra” was the man who called police.