A suspected serial killer believed to be responsible for slaughtering three homeless people on the streets of Los Angeles was identified on Saturday – after investigators realized he was already in custody for a fourth separate murder.
Jerrid Joseph Powell, 33, is accused of shooting three vulnerable men as they slept as well as a fourth man – who was homeless – in a botched burglary during a four-day violent killing spree, police said.
Powell was arrested on Wednesday for burglary and on Saturday, investigators linked him to the slaying of a homeless individual.
The news comes just a day after city officials announced an urgent appeal for homeless people to be on the lookout for killers who “prey on the homeless.”
“Twenty-four hours ago we announced that there was a killer on the run. Now he is in custody,” Mayor Karen Bass said at a press briefing.
Powell has been in custody since his arrest on Wednesday.
The accused killer began his crazy spree by allegedly killing 37-year-old Jose Bolanos at 3 a.m. Sunday as the victim slept — a brutal crime he allegedly repeated just 24 hours later, fatally shooting Mark Diggs, 62, behind a building, police said.
The third, unidentified victim was killed around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, just hours before Powell was arrested.
He was arrested in connection with a follow-up robbery on Tuesday night that left a 42-year-old father of two dead.
Jerrid Joseph Powell is accused of shooting to death at least four people during a four-day killing spree. Citizens
Powell allegedly followed Nicholas Simbolon 12 miles from an electric vehicle charging station to his home in San Dimas before allegedly shooting and robbing him as he got out of his car, according to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Office.
The suspected serial killer was linked to multiple murders by his car, which was seen at the scene of each of the murders Powell allegedly committed, police said.
Investigators used an automated license plate reader system to track down Powell and he was taken into custody following a traffic stop in Beverly Hills.
Three homeless people were killed as they slept on the streets of Los Angeles. LAPD
A handgun was found in the vehicle, which was “positively identified” as the murder weapon used in all four murders, police said.
“If they didn’t have access to that tool, these individuals I’m sure, would still be moving around the city, in the region, and killing individuals, innocent individuals, defenseless individuals,” LA police Chief Michael Moore said.
It’s unclear what Powell’s motive was for the rampage, but Moore said the homeless men, who were all asleep when they were targeted, were killed “without provocation.”
Powell was picked up on Wednesday in connection with a botched robbery that left a father of two dead. LAPD
In a statement, police described the burglary as “senseless.”
The indiscriminate killing prompted city officials to create task forces and open emergency shelters that are usually relegated to inclement weather to get as many homeless people off the streets as possible.
Staff also flooded the streets to encourage homeless people to seek shelter or at least stay in groups until the attackers were caught.
A handgun was found in Powell’s car linked to all four murders, police said. LAPD
Authorities are investigating whether Powell may be linked to other cases.
Powell is being held on $2.1 million bail.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
