Protect local news!

Be one of 5,000 supporters to make a monthly gift during our fall member drive and help strengthen our nonprofit newsroom.
Logged in as
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

News

Suspected Serial Killer Who Targeted Strangers From The Valley To WeHo May Have Stalked Others

One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.


Witnesses have been coming forward to tell their chilling stories of being stalked by alleged serial killer Alexander Hernandez in the days leading up to his arrest, police say. Hernandez, 34, has been charged in the August 21 shooting death of Gildardo Morales, 48, in Pacoima and attempting to kill two others. He is also a suspect in several other shootings, including three fatal and seemingly random shootings on the morning of August 24 in the San Fernando Valley.

Coming out of the woodwork are people who say they were followed by someone driving a tan or gold SUV, L.A. Times reports. Two women in Sylmar say they were driving late at night on August 10 when they spotted an SUV following them. It continued until they drove to a police station in the San Fernando Valley to report what was happening. The SUV stopped pursuing them and left.

August 10 was the start of Hernandez's alleged spree, during which police say he followed and opened fire on drivers. On August 20, a woman was shot and injured exiting the 5 freeway in Atwater Village. Hernandez is also accused of shooting at a couple in West Hollywood on the same day, as well as shooting three dogs, killing two. The last shootings were the three fatal incidents on August 24, a day on which police say the shooter also shot at and wounded four more.

Nearly two weeks after the incident involving the two women, Adrian Gonzalez, 24, and his friend said they were driving late at night when they too were tailed closely by an SUV with the headlights off. They say the driver pulled up alongside them and screamed at them, ordering them to lower the car window and then asking them, "Do you know what time it is, homie?" They were able to floor it and escape the SUV, but didn't call the police. Later that day, Gonzalez recognized the car as belonging to his neighbor—Alexander Hernandez.

When Gonzalez confronted him later, Hernandez said he was just trying to see what they are up to and that he wouldn't harm his neighbors.

Police are also looking into other unsolved cases with similar circumstances—a gold or tan SUV and a shooting—that date back several years, CBS reports.

One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.

If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible donation today