The Los Angeles Police Department on Saturday identified Jerrid Joseph Powell, 33, as a suspect in the murders of three homeless men, reports NBC News.
Powell was already in custody for the murder of a county employee.
Police matched Powell's car and the handgun found in it to the ones involved in the homeless killings, but no charges were announced, and a motive remains unknown, according to Police Chief Michel Moore.
"Twenty-four hours ago we announced there was a killer on the loose. Now he is in custody," Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said at a press briefing.
In Las Vegas, police are also investigating a string of murders of homeless people.
Five homeless people were shot in Las Vegas on Friday, two of them killed. Police said they were searching for a lone suspect.
The Las Vegas attack transpired at around 5:30 pm Friday near a highway overpass in the northern part of the city. Among the victims, a male in his 50s was pronounced dead at the scene, and two other males in their 30s were said to be in stable condition, while another is listed as critical. A late-teen male is also reported to be in stable condition.
The Las Vegas shooting shared similar characteristics with the Los Angeles murders.
However, LVMPD Lt. Mark Lourenco said he believed the incidents were "isolated."
Details about the victims in Las Vegas have not been released. The Los Angeles victims were described as two Hispanic males and one Black male. The LAPD has released CCTV footage showing a hooded suspect and a dark-colored sedan, believed to be connected to the killings.
Nick Koutsobinas ✉
Nick Koutsobinas, a Newsmax writer, has years of news reporting experience. A graduate from Missouri State University’s philosophy program, he focuses on exposing corruption and censorship.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.