Suspect in steakhouse sledgehammer attack leads police to homicide victim at Visalia home

A man led authorities to a homicide victim Monday, but only after he allegedly attacked a restaurant worker at a Visalia steakhouse.

In a brief news release, Visalia police did not comment on a possible motive for either incident but said Michael Major, 54, had been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder in connection with both cases.

Police said events began to unfold just before noon when Major entered Nash’s Steakhouse on East Main Street and ordered food. As he waited, police said, Major wandered around the restaurant, eventually making his way to the rear bar area where an employee was seated, waiting for their lunchtime shift to start. Police said Major walked up behind the employee, removed a 10-inch sledgehammer, and began striking the worker in the back of the head.

Police did not say whether the victim and suspect know each other or whether they believe the employee was targeted specifically or randomly.

Employees rushed to help their coworker and managed to get the sledgehammer and a knife away from Major, who then ran out the back door. Police said employees chased Major, who was detained a short time later by security staff at the nearby Kaweah Health Medical Center.

The restaurant worker was taken to a local hospital in stable condition.

While speaking with investigators about the steakhouse attack, police said Major told them to send officers to a home in the 500 block of North Stevenson Street for what police described as “an additional victim with injuries.”

Officers found a dead body inside the home but released no other details regarding the victim’s identity. They also did not comment further on any possible motives or cause of death. Police said detectives from the violent crimes unit were investigating the homicide, and crime lab analysts were also on scene Monday.

Major was taken into custody and will later be booked into the Tulare County Pre-Trial Facility on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.

Anyone with information is urged to contact police at 559-713-4104 and can remain anonymous by contacting the tip line at 559-713-4738.