Lottery Winner Who Was Stalked, Robbed and Stabbed 15 Times Played Dead — Then Escaped When Attacker Fell Asleep

• Jeffrey Williams won $2,000 from a lottery machine at a bar in Oregon on Aug. 17, 2024
• Pablo Figueroa then followed Williams home, assaulted him, demanded he hand over his winnings and then stabbed him 15 times
• Williams played dead and escaped when Figueroa fell asleep

A lottery winner in Oregon pretended to be dead after being stabbed 15 times by a man who followed him home to rob him of his winnings.

Jeffrey Williams spent the evening of Aug. 17, 2024 at a bar in Portland, where he won $2,000 from a lottery machine inside the establishment, according to a copy of the probable cause affidavit obtained by PEOPLE.

He then left the bar just before midnight and walked back to his apartment, unaware that he was being followed by Pablo Figueroa, 62, the affidavit says.

The affidavit states that Figueroa proceeded to slip into Williams’ apartment building by catching the entrance door before it closed and then, as Williams went to shut his own front door, Figueroa burst into the apartment.

Figueroa immediately tackled Williams to the ground and then pinned him with his knees before demanding he hand over his lottery winnings, according to the affidavit.

Williams handed over $624, says the affidavit — but that was not enough for Figueroa, who said he wanted more money.

Figueroa then pulled out a pocket knife and began to stab Williams in the arms, chest and face, according to the affidavit.

Williams told a member of the Portland Police Bureau that he started to “black out” at some point, and after being stabbed 15 times, decided the best option would be to pretend to be dead.

That plan may have saved Williams’ life.

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Figueroa stopped the stabbing and sat down at a nearby table to watch his victim die, Williams said while testifying in Multnomah County District Court.

Williams also said on the stand that Figueroa eventually started snoring, at which point he made his escape and called police.

Officers with the PPB arrived on the scene but found no one in the apartment, according to the affidavit.

Officers examined footage from the building’s security cameras and realized that while the video showed Figueroa entering behind Williams, it never showed him exiting the building.

Officers eventually tracked down Figueroa in the building’s trash room, and drove him out with pepper spray, according to the affidavit.

A grand jury indictment obtained by PEOPLE shows that Figueroa faced multiple counts of robbery and burglary as well as one count each of assault, attempted murder and strangulation.

Figueroa was only convicted on charges of attempted robbery, burglary and assault.

He is now being held at the Coffee Creek Correctional Institution as he waits to be assigned to a state prison.