Los Angeles Man Arrested in Connection with Killings of Unhoused Men

Accident – Death – Obituary News : Los Angeles Man Arrested in Connection with Three Killings of Unhoused Men

A Los Angeles man, who was previously arrested in connection with another shooting investigation, has been identified as the suspect in three recent killings of unhoused men, according to the police. The Los Angeles police chief, Michel Moore, announced on Saturday that 33-year-old Jerrid Joseph Powell was linked to the three killings after a firearm found in the vehicle he was driving during his earlier arrest was connected to the shootings.

Powell was apprehended this week by Los Angeles sheriff’s deputies for the shooting death and robbery of a 42-year-old man whom he had followed home. The authorities had been searching for a suspect in the shootings, which occurred at the end of November while the victims were sleeping or getting ready to retire for the night.

The first victim, Jose Bolanos, aged 37, was discovered dead with a gunshot wound in an alley in south Los Angeles on November 26 at around 3 am, as reported by the police. The following day, Mark Diggs, 62, was shot and killed around 5 am while pushing a shopping cart near downtown. The third shooting took place on November 29 at approximately 2:30 am in the Lincoln Heights area, where the body of a 52-year-old man was found. The police have not disclosed his identity pending notification of his family.

Detectives were able to identify Powell’s vehicle through surveillance footage and traced it to Beverly Hills, where he was stopped by the police. A firearm was discovered inside the vehicle, leading to his arrest. Los Angeles police chief Michel Moore expressed his gratitude that the suspect is now in custody, emphasizing that the community is no longer under threat.

Powell is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, and as of now, it is unclear whether he has legal representation. Online jail records indicate that he was arrested on Thursday and is currently being held on a $2 million bail.

During a news conference on Friday, Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass acknowledged the dangers faced by unhoused individuals, stating, “Living in the streets is dangerous, and four to five people die in our streets from a range of causes, and violence is certainly one of them.”

Contrary to common misconceptions that unhoused people are primarily responsible for major city crimes, research shows that they are more likely to be victims of assault, robbery, and homicide than their housed counterparts. A 2022 investigation by NBC 4 Los Angeles revealed that despite comprising only 1% of the population, unhoused individuals accounted for 24% of the city’s homicide victims. Furthermore, four out of the seven victims in a series of homicides in Stockton in 2022 were unhoused at the time, according to reports from KCRA, Sacramento’s NBC affiliate.

As the investigation into the three killings progresses, authorities will continue to gather evidence and ensure that justice is served for the victims and their families..