EVERETT — A fatal stabbing at an Everett motel Friday morning appeared “seemingly senseless and random,” a Snohomish County sheriff’s detective wrote in a report filed in Everett District Court.

A 45-year-old man was found with a stab wound in his neck at the Motel 6 where he’d been living in the 200 block of 128th Street SW. A deputy attempted to stop the bleeding, but the man was declared dead at the scene shortly after 2:30 a.m.

A 22-year-old Everett man and a 26-year-old Lynnwood man have been arrested for investigation of second-degree murder. On Monday, Judge Anthony Howard set bail at $1.5 million for the Lynnwood man and $500,000 for the 22-year-old.

The man who was killed had been staying at the motel with his girlfriend, according to court papers. When they stepped outside, they noticed two men they didn’t know sitting in a van, staring at them.

The men from the van reportedly became confrontational with the man from the motel room. They told him to come down and fight, according to the report.

They apparently left a few minutes later, but eventually came back. They found the older man outside and allegedly attacked him, witnesses reported.

A woman said one of the attackers had a knife, according to court papers. She reportedly saw a stabbing motion. The two suspects then fled to a nearby Denny’s parking lot and got into a van.

The wounded man walked to his room, holding his neck, and collapsed, according to witness reports.

Sheriff’s deputies stopped the van going southbound on I-5, approaching the exit at 164th Street SW.

In an interview with detectives, the suspects reportedly confirmed that they were at the Motel 6 and had fought with the man who was killed. Both denied having a knife.

The younger suspect allegedly saw his friend hit the older man in the neck, causing him to bleed, but said he didn’t see any weapon.

As they sped off in the van, one of the accused attackers recalled his friend saying, “I got him,” at least five times, according to court papers.

The other suspect reportedly handed detectives a black hoodie, repeatedly saying, “this is what you want.” Detectives noted what appeared to be blood on the left sleeve.

The 26-year-old has criminal history that includes second- and fourth-degree assault. The 22-year-old previously was convicted as a juvenile for fourth-degree assault.

Zachariah Bryan: 425-339-3431; zbryan@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @zachariahtb.