- Police were searching for a man who killed three homeless people in their sleep last weekend
- Jerrid Joseph Powell, 33, was arrested for those murders in addition to a fourth after his vehicle was identified late Wednesday in Beverly Hills
- The suspect was described as a convicted felon with a “violent background.”
Los Angeles police have arrested a man accused of killing three homeless people – and a fourth victim was shot in his garage during a “follow-home” raid.
On Saturday afternoon, Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore announced that the man arrested for the murders was 33-year-old Jerrid Joseph Powell.
He is also the main suspect in the murder of Nicholas Simbolon – a father of two – which took place last Tuesday evening in San Dimas.
Moore said the department suspects Powell of being responsible for four murders within four days.
The suspect, who lives in Los Angeles, is believed to have shot three homeless people across the city from November 26th to 29th.
His vehicle was identified by police in Beverly Hills last Wednesday. During a traffic stop, authorities seized the weapon used in the murders – he was subsequently arrested.
Jerrid Joseph Powell, 33, was arrested for the murders of three homeless Los Angeles men and a San Dimas father of two
An image released by police shows a person suspected of murdering three homeless people in Los Angeles
On Saturday, Moore said: “During the course of the investigation into our murders, we have been able to determine that the vehicle we believe is related to our three murders is the same vehicle that Mr. Powell was driving in the murder appointed by Mr. Simbolon.” ‘
‘[We learned] that it was in the custody of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department as evidence of her murder.
LA County Sheriff Robert Luna discussed the use of the controversial license plate reading system that law enforcement officers sometimes use to identify suspicious vehicles.
“We know there is controversy surrounding the use of this system, but let me say something to our community.” If we didn’t enter this sign into the system, it could be the person we believe is at least responsible for four murders [still] “I was out there and I was insulted again,” he said.
Detectives in Beverly Hills identified a vehicle that may have been involved in Sambolon’s murder the night before and plugged the license plate into the automated reading system, leading to a traffic stop and eventual Powell’s arrest.
He was eventually arrested for the subsequent murder of Sambolon and the three homeless men. Powell was described as a convicted felon with a “violent background.” Further details of his previous convictions were not disclosed.
“The next goal is to at least put this guy away forever because he doesn’t deserve to be on the streets,” Luna said.
LA Mayor Karen Bass praised the police and sheriff’s departments for their quick work.
“Twenty-four hours ago we announced that a murderer was on the loose, now he is in custody,” she said.
“Immediately after the conclusion of yesterday’s press conference, my office was able to convene more than four hundred people representing city governments, housing service providers, regional agencies… and elected officials at the city and county levels to ensure that this is the case.” [get the word out] about the threat facing our homeless community.’
LAPD Chief Michel Moore provided an update on the case on Saturday
LA Mayor Karen Bass praised local authorities for their quick action in identifying and arresting the suspected killer
The suspect was arrested after authorities ran the license plates on a suspicious vehicle in Beverly Hills
One of the men was fatally shot as he slept against a wall
Police had been searching for the gunman responsible for killing three homeless people as they slept in different parts of the city.
Authorities believed the same person was responsible for all three deaths, which occurred in the early hours of last Sunday, Monday and Wednesday.
All three victims were men who were sleeping in open areas such as alleys or sidewalks.
One of the men’s murders was described by Moore as “brutal” and “ruthless.”
A motive for the murders has not yet been clarified.