Los Angeles: Suspect charged in deaths of three homeless people after car matched to separate killing
Jerrid Joseph Powell, 33, is accused of killing three rough sleepers in Los Angeles, plus father-of-two Nicholas Simbolon, who was shot dead in his garage.
Tuesday 5 December 2023 01:54, UK
A man charged with killing three homeless people in a matter of days as well as a man in his garage has appeared in court in Los Angeles.
Jerrid Joseph Powell, 33, was identified as the suspect in the spate of deaths last week after being arrested in connection with a robbery at a home in San Dimas, California.
Father-of-two, Nicholas Simbolon, 42, was shot dead during that incident last Tuesday, and Powell was detained on Thursday.
Powell has been charged with four counts of murder as well as one count of residential robbery and one count of being a felon with a firearm.
He did not not enter a plea during Monday's court hearing and was remanded in custody until 8 January.
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The motive for the killings of the homeless victims was not known, Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said during a weekend press conference announcing Powell's arrest.
Jose Bolanos, 37, was found dead with a gunshot wound around 3am on 26 November in an alley in South Los Angeles, police said. The following day, Mark Diggs, 62, was shot and killed while pushing a shopping cart around 5am. near downtown, according to officials.
The third shooting occurred on 29 November about 2:30am. in the Lincoln Heights area, where the body of a 52-year-old man was found. Police did not immediately identify him pending notification of family.