A 33-year-old Los Angeles man, Jerrid Joseph Powell, has been arrested on suspicion of three homeless killings in the city. Powell, a convicted felon, was apprehended earlier this week and is currently in custody of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The arrest was made after a traffic stop conducted by the Beverly Hills Police Department, utilizing the city’s surveillance technology. A handgun recovered from Powell’s vehicle has been identified as the weapon used in the three killings.
The first shooting occurred on November 26 in the Westmont area, where 37-year-old Jose Bolanos was fatally shot while sleeping on a couch behind a building. The second shooting took place on November 27 in Downtown L.A.’s Skid Row area, where 62-year-old Mark Diggs was shot and killed while charging his phone. The third victim, a 52-year-old man, was shot while sleeping on a sidewalk in East L.A. on November 29.
Additionally, Powell has been connected to a separate homicide in San Dimas, where 42-year-old Nicholas Simbolon was found shot inside his Tesla in the garage of his home. Powell’s vehicle was linked to this killing before his arrest.
Mayor Karen Bass issued an alert urging homeless individuals to seek shelter or gather in groups for safety. The Los Angeles Police Department analyzed security camera footage to identify Powell as the suspect present at all three homeless killing scenes.
Powell is currently being held on $2 million bail and is facing charges of murder and robbery. Further details regarding Powell’s criminal history and the specific charges against him have not been disclosed.
