Crime & Scandals

Thunder Valley Casino Mass-Stabbing Suspect Identified, Charged With Attempted Murder

Posted on: August 20, 2026, 05:33h.

Last updated on: August 20, 2026, 05:33h.

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Philip Conneller In Philip Conneller’s eight years with Casino.org, he has covered the gaming industry from Las Vegas to Macau and everything in between. He currently focuses his coverage on gaming law, white-collar crime, global money laundering, tribal gaming, politics, and regulation...
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Key Points

Joseph Naugle, 22, faces two attempted murder charges after five coworkers were stabbed inside a Thunder Valley casino restaurant
One victim was hospitalized and four were treated at the scene, while authorities said none suffered life-threatening injuries
The casino remained open during the incident, with the attack confined to the restaurant kitchen and no continuing public threat

A man who allegedly ran amok with a kitchen knife in a restaurant at Northern California’s Thunder Valley Casino Resort on Wednesday (August 19) has been named and charged with attempted murder.

Joseph Naugle, Thunder Valley Casino, casino stabbing, attempted murder, Placer County — A mugshot of Joseph Naugle who has been charged with two counts of attempted murder after allegedly stabbing five coworkers in the kitchen of a restaurant at the Thunder Valley Casino Resort. (Image: Placer County Sheriff’s Office)

Joseph Naugle, 22, a worker at the Dos Coyotes Border Café inside the casino, is accused of stabbing five colleagues, according to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office. He faces two counts of attempted murder, with additional charges expected, the sheriff’s office said.

Deputies were called to the tribal casino near Lincoln, Calif., at around 7 p.m. on Wednesday after reports of a stabbing incident in the restaurant’s kitchen area.

Thunder Valley Casino Resort is owned by the United Auburn Indian Community and is located about 30 miles northeast of Sacramento.

Kitchen Nightmare

Naugle was arrested at the scene. Footage from CBS Sacramento showed him wearing a dark kitchen apron as he was placed in the back of a sheriff’s patrol vehicle. The department later confirmed that five people had been stabbed and said no other suspects were being sought.

One injured employee was taken to a local hospital, while the other four were treated at the scene by Thunder Valley Casino EMTs and CAL FIRE personnel, according to authorities.

The casino was not evacuated and remained open, as the attack was confined to the kitchen, and many guests were unaware of the incident, authorities said.

At this point in the investigation, it appears the suspect knew all five victims. No additional suspects are outstanding. And there is no outstanding threat to the public,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

The casino has not commented on the incident and is referring media requests to the sheriff’s office. The motive for the attack remains unclear.

Clean Record

The suspect does not appear to have a criminal record. A LinkedIn page suggests he graduated from Woodcreek High School in nearby Roseville in 2022 and subsequently worked as a cashier for KFC.

In 2012, age eight, he was the subject of a police search after running away from his mother at a swimming party, but was found safe later that day, according to The New York Post.

According to a description issued at the time, he occasionally walked with a limp and had “medical issues.”

Naugle is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday at Placer County Superior Court.

In Philip Conneller’s eight years with Casino.org, he has covered the gaming industry from Las Vegas to Macau and everything in between. He currently focuses his coverage on gaming law, white-collar crime, global money laundering, tribal gaming, politics, and regulation.

Philip was the original features editor for poker’s Bluff Magazine and editor for Bluff Europe, which he helped launch. His writing has also been featured in ESPN, Forbes, Time Out, The Sun, and The Daily Star, as well as iGaming Business, eGaming Review, and numerous other industry news and tech websites.

His news stories for Casino.org/news have been linked by The Washington Post, The Daily Mail, People Magazine, and Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show, among many others.

Philip once won $20,000 with 7-2 off-suit. He has been reprimanded for unwittingly playing Elton John’s piano on two separate occasions on both sides of the Atlantic.

He became a writer because he is a lousy pianist.

Philip lives outside London with his wife and children, where he spends his time agonizing about Arsenal FC.

Contact Philip at philip.conneller@casino.org.