Jerrid Joseph Powell Charged with Four Counts of Murder in Fatal Shootings of Homeless Men

Accident – Death – Obituary News : LOS ANGELES (AP) — A man has been charged with four counts of murder in connection with the fatal shootings of three homeless men in Los Angeles and a suburban resident last month, according to prosecutors.

Jerrid Joseph Powell, 33, also faces charges of residential robbery and being a felon with a firearm, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office revealed in a statement. Additionally, Powell is accused of committing multiple murders, murder during a robbery, and personal use of a firearm.

Appearing in court alongside his attorney, Deputy Public Defender Carlos Bido, Powell did not enter a plea. The arraignment has been adjourned until January 8.

The public defender’s office released a statement asserting its commitment to providing a strong defense for Powell, emphasizing the principle of presumed innocence until proven guilty.

Initially taken into custody as a suspect in a deadly shooting during a robbery in San Dimas, east of Los Angeles, Powell was later identified as the suspect in the killings of the three homeless men. The connection was established when a firearm found in his car was linked to the shootings.

During a press conference, Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore stated that the motive behind the homeless victims’ killings remains unknown.

The victims have been identified as 37-year-old Jose Bolanos, who was found dead with a gunshot wound in a South Los Angeles alley on November 26, and 62-year-old Mark Diggs, who was shot and killed near downtown while pushing a shopping cart on the following day.

The third shooting occurred on November 29 in the Lincoln Heights area, where the body of an unidentified 52-year-old man was discovered. Pending family notification, the police refrained from disclosing his identity.

In addition to the homeless victims, Nicholas Simbolon, a 42-year-old resident of San Dimas, was fatally shot at his home on the evening of November 28. Surveillance images of a suspect vehicle were obtained, and after a license plate reader in Beverly Hills alerted the police, a traffic stop led to Powell’s arrest.

District Attorney George Gascón expressed gratitude towards law enforcement for their efforts in apprehending the suspect, stating that their swift actions undoubtedly saved lives.

If convicted on all charges, Powell could face life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Los Angeles County, with a population of approximately 10 million people, has the highest population in the United States and is also home to a significant proportion of the nation’s homeless population. As of January, over 75,000 individuals were experiencing homelessness across the county on any given night, according to a federal tally conducted in 2022.

Advocates for homeless people stress that those living on the streets are far more likely to be victims of violence rather than perpetrators.

On Friday, five homeless individuals were shot in Las Vegas, resulting in one fatality. Authorities are currently searching for a lone suspect, and Las Vegas police have confirmed that there is no connection between the shootings in Los Angeles and the incident in their jurisdiction.

A similar case occurred in Orange County, California, where a man was charged with killing four homeless men through a series of stabbings between late 2011 and early 2012. Itzcoatl Ocampo, a former Marine, faced four counts of murder, including special allegations of multiple murders, lying in wait, and the use of a deadly weapon. Ocampo died while awaiting trial after reportedly consuming cleanser he had collected while in custody..