Police have arrested a suspect in connection with the killings of four men in Los Angeles County. Three of the victims were homeless men who were killed in different locations, while the fourth was a county employee who was followed home, robbed, and then killed. The suspect, Jerrid Joseph Powell, was connected to the killings after being arrested for the follow-home robbery. Police were able to identify the suspect’s car and match the license plate to the vehicle used in one of the killings. A handgun found in the suspect’s car matched the weapon used in the killings of the homeless men. Rebecca Cohen,Andrew Blankstein,Phil Helsel reported
A suspect has been apprehended in connection with the killings of four men within a span of four days in Los Angeles County, as announced by the police on Saturday. The victims included three homeless men who were sleeping at different locations across the city, and a Los Angeles County employee who was followed home by the assailant, robbed, and subsequently killed. Jerrid Joseph Powell, 33, was arrested by the police in relation to the follow-home robbery killing, which led them to link him to the other three murders. To provide a comprehensive understanding of the events, here is a detailed timeline of the four killings.
Sunday, November 26: At approximately 3 a.m., Jose Bolanos, a 37-year-old Hispanic man, was tragically shot while asleep on a couch in a rear alley near 110th Street. Police Chief Michel Moore described the killing as “brutal and ruthless.”
Monday, November 27: The second murder occurred around 4:55 a.m. on East 7th Street. Mark Diggs, 62, was shot near a rear wall. Chief Moore recounted chilling footage of the crime, where the perpetrator approached Diggs, who was pushing a shopping cart and had leaned against a wall. Without any interaction, the assailant cold-bloodedly shot Diggs and left the scene. Unbeknownst at the time, the murderer then followed a young father of two, who had been charging his car.
Tuesday, November 28: Nicholas Simbolon, 42, was discovered dead in his garage in the city of San Dimas, near Los Angeles, by a relative at 6:48 p.m. According to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, it appeared that Powell had followed Simbolon home from an electric vehicle charging station located 12 miles away. Upon Simbolon’s arrival in his garage, the attacker robbed him of personal belongings before shooting him and fleeing.
Wednesday, November 29: Less than 24 hours later, at 2:30 a.m., a 52-year-old man sleeping on the sidewalk was fatally shot near an intersection, as reported by the police.
Thursday, November 30: Powell was arrested early in the morning in Beverly Hills on charges of murder and robbery. The Beverly Hills Police Department identified Powell’s vehicle and matched the license plate to the one involved in Tuesday’s killing, leading to his apprehension during a traffic stop. Authorities then connected Powell to the three homeless men killings after matching his vehicle and license plate to those seen in relation to the crimes. Moreover, a handgun found in Powell’s car matched the weapon used in the murders of the three homeless men.
Friday, December 1: During a press conference, the police informed the public about their search for the gunman responsible for the shootings of the homeless men. A task force comprised of homicide detectives from across the city was assembled to identify and apprehend the suspect. In response to the situation, Mayor Karen Bass announced the opening of emergency shelters to provide housing for homeless individuals. She encouraged them to seek shelter and services, emphasizing the importance of staying together for safety.
Saturday, December 2: Chief Moore revealed at a news conference how investigators connected the dots between the different shootings. Homicide detectives working on the cases from Monday and Wednesday noticed similarities in the shell casings, and they discovered a similar case from the previous Sunday in a different bureau. The task force established to investigate the killings identified a 2024 BMW M440 that was present at all three Los Angeles shootings and began searching for it. They later learned that the vehicle was in the custody of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office in connection with the San Dimas homicide. Further investigation was conducted to determine if the weapon found in the car was the same one used in the three Los Angeles shootings. The police worked overnight into Saturday morning to conclusively link the weapon to all four homicides..