Police: Homeless man booked for attempted murder after fight in hotel

LOGAN, Utah — A man passing through Utah was booked for attempted murder after getting into a fight with another homeless man Tuesday night.

According to the affidavit, Logan Police was called to a local hotel after a man came to the front desk, covered with lacerations across his neck, face, and hands.

The victim told police he was stabbed multiple times in a hotel room before being transported to the hospital in critical condition. As officers went to the room, they found a trail of blood leaving the room to the front desk.

Officers found two men in the hotel room and were taken into custody without further issue. Police identified the primary suspect as 45-year-old Joseph Scott Liebl, who quickly said the other man was not involved.

Liebl was found with two “throwing knives” and a medium-sized knife in its sheath, according to the affidavit.

Police executed a search warrant in the hotel room and found a large blade knife that was rinsed off and hidden. Police also found marijuana and a pipe with burnt marijuana residue, which was found in Liebl’s possessions.

Police also noticed that “there was substantial blood in the room to illustrate a violent attack,” according to the affidavit.

Police interviewed the second man in the room, who told them they were homeless and met in Logan, Utah. Liebl invited him and the victim to his hotel room, where they purchased alcohol and began drinking.

The second man said the conversation between Liebl and the victims turned “confrontational” as the victim punched Liebl in the face while he holding a “machete,” according to the affidavit. The two began to fight until the victim escaped the room while bleeding profusely.

Liebl went to the sink and began to wash the blood off himself until police arrived.

As Liebl was being treated for a finger laceration, he commented ‘”I should have killed him,’ while using his thumb to demonstrate cutting the throat,” according to the affidavit.

Police noted that Liebl was acting belligerent, asking them to bring the victim into the interview room and to take off his handcuffs. His breath also smelled like alcohol, had watery eyes and swollen blood vessels.

Liebl also insisted that the second man wasn’t involved and didn’t smoke marijuana or drink alcohol, but he did consume both substances.

According to the affidavit, Liebl claimed that he was punched by the victim twice, and they picked up their knife after they were thrown on the floor by him. Liebl said that the victim cut his finger during the fight, and he claims that he didn’t cut the victim.

Police attempted to take buccal swabs of dried blood off Liebl’s body, but he would not comply with their search warrant for them. Liebl began to lick the dried blood off his body, shouting that he had “numerous severe infectious diseases.”

According to the affidavit, officers determined not to use physical force on Liebl to prevent more injuries.

The victim had several life-threatening deep lacerations on his hands, face, and neck. Police believe the wounds were defensive and the injuries on him were intentional.

Liebl was booked into the Cache County Jail for one count of murder, intoxication, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, interfering with an arresting officer, two counts of obstruction of justice, and four counts of possessing a dangerous weapon by a restricted person.

Police noted that Libel has outstanding warrants for his arrest from two other states and has convictions for felony assaults. Libel also has no residence or connection to Utah, as he is traveling from Washington to the east coast.