East El Paso Halloween store theft turns into parking lot melee

Update (June 17, 2024): A judge dismissed the case against Miyauchi-Malachi and ordered the record to be sealed.

EL PASO, Texas – A theft at a Halloween retail store escalated into a melee in the parking lot and two people were arrested, police said Tuesday.

Police said 31-year-old Erica Gracia stole some merchandise at the Spirit Halloween Store on 1319 George Dieter just days before Halloween.

Police said Gracia fled in her vehicle and tried to run over two Spirit employees in the parking lot.

Kai Alexander Miyauchi-Malachi, 40, who was seen with Gracia in the store, allegedly pulled a knife on the employees when they tried to detain him in the parking lot and lunged at them.

Gracia and Miyauchi-Malachi were located by police a short time later, taken into custody and booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility.

Gracia faces a charge of aggravated robbery, while Miyauchi-Malachi faces two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.