California authorities are currently searching for a possible serial killer suspected of killing at least five people in the city of Stockton, local police said on Wednesday (October 5).
Investigators have released pixelated video of a suspect, dressed all in black with his face hidden, whom they want to question in connection with five murders in the city over the past three months. It could also be linked to a sixth murder committed in the neighboring city of Oakland, about 50 miles from Stockton, according to multiple local media outlets. “That fits the definition of a serial killer completely,” Stockton Police spokesman Joseph Silva told AFP.
The five murders, committed over the summer in the same Stockton area, have a number of similarities, Stockton Police Chief Stanley McFadden told reporters Tuesday. These murders were linked by ballistic elements, he said, without giving further details. Police say at least three of the Stockton victims were homeless, as was a woman who was shot in Oakland in 2021 and survived her injuries. “We’re still trying to determine if one, two or more people committed this series of murders,” Joseph Silva said.
A video of the killer has been released
Police released video of the suspect seen limping slightly from behind in front of apartments “hoping someone will recognize this person (…) because they have a very specific gait,” the spokesman added. The suspect was filmed by a camera near some of the crime scenes. The victims “were alone in dark places, either late at night or early in the morning.” A reward of $125,000 has been offered for any information leading to the arrest of the possible killer(s).
In Stockton, a city of 350,000 40 miles south of the California capital Sacramento, police have stepped up their patrols and are asking residents to exercise caution. “If you have to go out at night or early in the morning, try to have a friend or family member with you and avoid dark areas,” advised Joseph Silva.