Man Charged with Four Counts of Murder in Fatal Shootings of Homeless Men and Suburban Resident

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, prosecutors announced on Monday.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office revealed that Jerrid Joseph Powell, 33, is also facing charges of residential robbery and being a felon with a firearm. The statement further stated that Powell will be subject to special circumstances, including committing multiple murders, murder during a robbery, as well as personal use of a firearm allegations.

Powell, accompanied by his attorney, Deputy Public Defender Carlos Bido, appeared in court on Monday afternoon. However, he did not enter a plea, and his arraignment has been postponed until January 8.

The Public Defender’s Office released a statement affirming their commitment to provide a vigorous defense for Mr. Powell and hold the prosecution accountable to its burden of proof. They emphasized that, according to the principles of the criminal legal system, Powell is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Powell was initially apprehended last week as a suspect in a fatal shooting that occurred during a robbery in San Dimas, a community located to the east of Los Angeles. Subsequently, he was identified as the suspect in the murders of the three homeless men after a firearm found in his vehicle was linked to the shootings.

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

The victims have been identified as Jose Bolanos, 37, who was found dead with a gunshot wound in an alley in South Los Angeles on November 26; Mark Diggs, 62, who was shot and killed while pushing a shopping cart near downtown on November 27; and a 52-year-old man, whose identity has not been disclosed by the police pending family notification, was found dead in the Lincoln Heights area on November 29.

In addition, Nicholas Simbolon, 42, was fatally shot at his residence in San Dimas on the evening of November 28. Following the release of surveillance images capturing a suspect vehicle, a license plate reader in Beverly Hills alerted the police, leading to a traffic stop and Powell’s subsequent arrest.

District Attorney George Gascón expressed his gratitude towards the law enforcement officers involved in the case, stating, “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. The swift actions of law enforcement undoubtedly saved lives this week.”

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

Los Angeles County, home to approximately 10 million people, has the highest population in the nation. It also has a significant homeless population, with more than one in five of the nation’s homeless individuals residing in the county, according to a 2022 federal tally. The latest official count, conducted in January, revealed that over 75,000 people were homeless on any given night across the county.

Advocates for homeless people assert that those living on the streets are much more vulnerable to becoming victims of violence than being the perpetrators themselves. This assertion comes in the wake of a recent shooting incident in Las Vegas, where five homeless individuals were shot, one fatally. However, Las Vegas police have ruled out any connection between the two incidents.

Tragically, this is not the first time that homeless individuals have fallen victim to violence. In Orange County, California, a man named Itzcoatl Ocampo was charged with the killings of four homeless men in a series of stabbings that occurred between late 2011 and early 2012. Ocampo, a former Marine, faced charges of murder, with additional allegations of multiple murders, lying in wait, and the use of a deadly weapon. Sadly, Ocampo died while awaiting trial, allegedly due to consuming cleanser he had collected while in custody.

As the investigation into the recent killings continues, the Los Angeles community remains on edge, hoping for justice to be served and for the safety of its most vulnerable residents to be prioritized..