Officials announce arrest, 3 homeless murders
LA officials announced the arrest of a suspect connected to the three murders of unhoused individuals. They also believe him to be connected to the San Dimas fatal follow home robbery.
Jerrid Joseph Powell was arrested on Nov. 30 in Beverly Hills on suspicion of murdering 42-year-old Nicholas Simbolon in his San Dimas garage, after deputies said Powell followed him home from an EV charging station in West Covina. According to LAPD Chief Michel Moore, a gun believed to be the weapon used in Simbolon’s murder, was found in Powell’s car when Beverly Hills police pulled him over.
On Saturday, Los Angeles County and city officials announced that Powell was also believed to be the suspect in the killings of three homeless men across LA over the last week. The first killing happened on Sunday, Nov. 26, in South LA; the second on Nov. 27 in downtown LA; and the third on Nov. 29 near Lincoln Heights.
RELATED: Suspect arrested in string of homeless murders, connected to San Dimas fatal follow-home robbery: PD
Saturday Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said that a key factor in capturing Powell was being able to identify his car. Luna said that after Simbolon’s murder in San Dimas, the department was able to identify the suspect’s vehicle, and between video evidence and eyewitness reports, they were able to put a license plate into an automatic license plate reader. That license plate number helped Beverly Hills police identify Powell’s car later in the week.
“The safety net of what technology can provide us today for safer communities is critical,” Moore said. “Had they not had those access to those tools, this individual, I am convinced, would still be moving about the city and the region and killing individuals, innocent individuals, helpless individuals.”
Law enforcement said that Powell had a lengthy criminal history, and based off that, they believe there may be other victims out there. Officials asked anyone with information about other potential victims to contact them.
Police are still investigating a motive for the killings.
