When police asked for help finding the man responsible for the stabbing of a Marietta pawn shop employee, they left one thing out.

“We did have the knife in hand,” says Officer Dave Baldwin.

That knife led police to a local Walmart, where an off-duty officer had spotted a knife just like it. Officers worked with the surveillance team to get a photo of a person of interest in the case.

The attack happened at the Hock Shop on Cobb Parkway and Gresham Road on April 14. Officers say the victim was just opening up shop, when he was beaten and stabbed by a young man wearing a wig and a wool cap. The suspect got away empty-handed. The victim, critically injured, was able to crawl from the front of the store to the back to call police. He is now recovering.

On Monday, 18-year-old Tomas Lopez Torres Jr. was arrested for an unrelated armed robbery at the Chevron gas station at South Marietta Parkway and Powers Ferry Road. An officer recognized him as the person of interest.

Baldwin says Torres confessed on Tuesday. He is being held without bond.