Jerrid Powell, a 33-year-old Los Angeles resident, was formally charged with four counts of murder and other related charges in connection with the killings of three unhoused individuals and another victim in San Dimas. The charges were announced on Monday by LA District Attorney George Gascón.
Powell faces four murder counts, one count each of residential robbery and possession of a firearm by a felon. The charges also include special circumstances allegations of multiple murders and murder during a robbery, along with suspected personal use of a firearm.
In a court appearance on Monday afternoon, Powell, represented by a public defender, waived his right to a speedy trial. Consequently, his formal arraignment and plea entry have been rescheduled to January 8.
According to the Los Angeles investigators, Powell is linked to a series of homicides between November 26 and November 29. He is accused of fatally shooting three unhoused men in different locations in Los Angeles while they were sleeping on the street or in an alleyway. The victims were identified as men aged 37, 62, and 52.
Additionally, on November 28, Powell allegedly followed Nicholas Simbolon into his garage, robbed him, and then shot and killed him. Simbolon, 42, was a father of two and worked as a project manager in the I.T. department for the Los Angeles County Chief Executive Office.
Powell was apprehended on November 29 following a traffic stop in Beverly Hills and was subsequently booked. Police used an automatic license plate reader system and surveillance footage from Simbolon’s murder to locate Powell. The use of this technology has sparked privacy concerns among civil rights groups.
DA Gascón commended the prompt action of law enforcement in this case. The motive for these crimes remains unknown, and the investigation is ongoing. Powell faces a potential life sentence without parole if convicted, according to the DA’s office.
