On Saturday, investigators identified the suspected serial killer responsible for the murder of three homeless individuals in Los Angeles.
The perpetrator, convicted felon Jerrid Joseph Powell, 33, allegedly shot the victims as they slept and was already in custody for a separate, non-homeless-related murder.
The violent four-day killing spree included a botched burglary resulting in the shooting of a fourth individual.
Powell was taken into custody on Wednesday for the botched burglary, and on Saturday, detectives linked him to the killings of the homeless people.
The announcement was made just one day after city authorities issued a dire warning to homeless people, warning them to remain vigilant as there is a killer who is “preying on the unhoused.”
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Accused Murderer Targets and Claims Lives of Three Homeless Individuals
The accused murderer, a convicted felon with a violent criminal history, allegedly initiated a killing spree by murdering 37-year-old Jose Bolanos while he slept at 3 a.m.
The following day, he replicated the crime by fatally shooting 62-year-old Mark Diggs.
Authorities, emphasizing his long standing violent tendencies, noted that his actions were not recent.
LA County Sheriff Robert Luna stated, “Based on his criminal history, he didn’t just start doing this a week ago.”
The third unidentified victim was killed at approximately 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday, just hours before Powell’s apprehension.
Powell was arrested in connection with a follow-home robbery that resulted in the death of a 42-year-old father of two on Tuesday night.
Allegedly, Powell trailed Nicholas Simbolon for 12 miles from an electric vehicle charging station to his residence in San Dimas.
Upon Simbolon’s exit from his car, Powell is accused of shooting and robbing him, according to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities stated that Powell was identified as the suspected serial killer through the correlation of his car, observed at each homicide scene.
Using an automatic license plate reader system, investigators successfully traced Powell’s whereabouts, leading to his apprehension through a traffic stop in Beverly Hills.
During the arrest, a handgun was discovered within the vehicle, conclusively identified as the murder weapon in all four instances of homicide, according to law enforcement.
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