Man Charged With Four Counts of Murder in Los Angeles Homeless Shootings

LOS ANGELES — Prosecutors have filed charges against a man on Monday for the fatal shootings of three homeless men in Los Angeles and a suburban resident last month. Jerrid Joseph Powell, aged 33, faces four counts of murder, along with charges of residential robbery and being a felon with a firearm, according to a statement released by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Powell also faces special circumstances of committing multiple murders, murder in the course of a robbery, as well as personal use of a firearm allegations.

Powell’s arraignment is scheduled for later today. Attempts made over the weekend to determine if he had legal representation were unsuccessful.

The initial arrest of Powell took place last week in connection with a deadly shooting during a robbery in the community of San Dimas, located east of Los Angeles. However, after a firearm found in Powell’s car was linked to the shootings of the three homeless men, he was identified as a suspect in those cases as well.

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

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 a.m. Mark Diggs, aged 62, was shot and killed the following day at approximately 5 a.m. while pushing a shopping cart near downtown. The third shooting occurred on November 29 around 2:30 a.m. in the Lincoln Heights area, where the body of a 52-year-old man was found. The police have withheld his identity until his family is notified.

In a separate incident, Nicholas Simbolon, aged 42, was fatally shot at his home in San Dimas on the evening of November 28. The authorities managed to obtain surveillance images of a suspect vehicle. The following night, a license plate reader in Beverly Hills alerted the police, leading to a traffic stop and ultimately Powell’s arrest.

“I want to extend my deepest appreciation to the incredible men and women of law enforcement who worked tirelessly to bring justice to our community and arrest this individual,” said District Attorney George Gascón in Monday’s statement. “The swift actions of law enforcement undoubtedly saved lives this week.”

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

Homelessness Crisis in Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County, with a population of approximately 10 million people, holds the title of the nation’s most populous county. Shockingly, it is also home to over one-fifth of the nation’s homeless population, according to a federal tally conducted in 2022. The last official count in January revealed that more than 75,000 people were homeless on any given night across the county.

Advocates for homeless people emphasize that those living on the streets are more likely to become victims of violence rather than perpetrators themselves.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, five homeless people were shot in Las Vegas on Friday, one of them fatally. Police are currently searching for a lone suspect believed to be responsible for the shootings.

Similar Cases

Tragically, this is not the first instance of violence against homeless individuals in California. In Orange County, a man was charged with the killings of four homeless men in a series of stabbings that occurred between late 2011 and early 2012. Itzcoatl Ocampo, a former Marine, faced four counts of murder with special allegations of multiple murders, lying in wait, and use of a deadly weapon. Ocampo died while awaiting trial after reportedly consuming cleanser he had collected while in custody.