Man Charged With Murder In Killings Of 3 Unhoused People Across LA, San Dimas

The man accused of killing three unhoused people across Los Angeles and one person in San Dimas was charged Monday with four counts of murder.

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón’s office said Jerrid Joseph Powell was also charged with one count of residential robbery and one count of being a felon with a firearm.

If convicted on all counts, the 33-year-old could face life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The Beverly Hills Police Department detained Powell Wednesday night after his vehicle was stopped for matching the description of one that was believed to be used in the shootings. Powell was placed under arrest Thursday morning.

LAPD Chief Michel Moore said Saturday that police have not identified a motive for the alleged shootings.

Gascón said that investigators will continue to gather evidence in the weeks to come. And Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said he hoped that the suspect would be sent to prison “at minimum, forever.”

Law enforcement officials credited the arrest in part to the immediate mobilization of resources by Mayor Karen Bass.

"I'm also proud that in a time of crisis, when one of our most vulnerable populations were being victimized, that under the leadership of Mayor Bass, the City and County of Los Angeles came together," said Moore.

Bass said Saturday more than 400 people across city departments and regional agencies were working together to ensure that the unhoused population were notified of the threat.

About the shootings

The first shooting was around 3:10 a.m. Sunday in the Westmont neighborhood of South L.A. Moore said the victim was a 37-year-old man who was found in a rear alley.

The second happened around 4:45 a.m. Monday in the Arts District of downtown L.A. The victim has been identified as a 62-year-old man.

The third shooting was around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday in the Lincoln Heights Industrial Zone near Elysian Park. The victim has been identified as a 52-year-old man who was sleeping on the sidewalk.

Moore said all three victims were alone in an open area, like a sidewalk or alley, when they were shot and killed as they slept.

A map of where the unhoused victims were found provided by the LAPD.

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Makenna Sievertson for LAist

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“We're cautioning that this individual who we believe is responsible could strike us in Hollywood, in the San Fernando Valley, on the west side,” Moore said at a news conference Friday. “There is no framing of this.”

What authorities had said about the suspected killer

Initially, Moore said authorities did not have eyewitnesses to the killings. When they asked for the public's help earlier in the week, police said they believed the suspect was a man wearing some type of hoodie or simple clothing.

And they gave this account of the shootings:

In all three shootings, the man arrives in a vehicle and approaches the victims on foot. He then shoots and kills them, Moore said, before getting back into the vehicle and driving away.

Authorities have collected physical evidence as well as video and images from the crime scenes. The LAPD shared photos of the person they believe is responsible and the vehicle seen at each location.

Three Unhoused People Killed Across Los Angeles

Detectives are asking the public's help for help identifying the person and the car they believe are involved in the shootings.

An image of the possible suspect shared by the LAPD

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LAPD

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The vehicle seen leaving the crime scenes shared by the LAPD

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LAPD

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Mayor Karen Bass said as authorities laid out the circumstances: “I want to be very clear about what we're facing today. This is a killer who is preying on the unhoused.”

Warning for the unhoused community

Ahead of the arrest, authorities pleaded with unhoused people to stay together, seek shelter, and not sleep alone.

Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority announced late Friday that it will activate its Augmented Winter Shelter Program from Dec. 1 through Dec. 4 to provide additional safety for unsheltered people who sleep alone. The emergency shelters are typically used for severe weather but will open to get more people off the streets at night.

For those who are interested in the program, please call 211 or LAHSA's shelter hotline at (213) 683-3333.

Bass said she’s spoken to the leaders of the Housing Authority of Los Angeles, and the L.A. Housing Department to get the word out into the community. She said they are deploying outreach teams to look for unhoused people that are alone.

Metro leadership has also been notified to direct staff to warn unhoused people as they’re getting off the buses and trains at night, Bass added.

She also shared a message to residents who have unhoused friends or family in the L.A. area.

“We need you to contact them today,” Bass said. “We need you to tell them about this danger. We need you to tell them that they should not be alone tonight, that shelters will be open. We need you to tell them that outreach workers will be out and the seriousness of this.”

The investigation

The LAPD is increasing patrols and has created a 24/7 task force made up of homicide investigators from throughout the city.

L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón said their major crimes division is involved and an attorney has already been assigned to the case to “facilitate the transition from the police investigation to the prosecution.”

The Victim Services Division is also working to help the families of the victims, and any witnesses or other people that may need assistance as well, Gascón added.

The federal government, the Department of Justice, and the FBI are also supporting the investigation.

“We're continuing to investigate and look at whether there may be federal charges involved here, such as civil rights statutes,” said Martin Estrada from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Anyone with information on the shootings is asked to call the LAPD tip line at (213) 486-6890.