(LOS ANGELES) — The man accused of killing three unhoused men in Los Angeles and another victim in San Dimas, California, over a four-day span last week was formally charged with murder Monday and set to appear before a judge.
Jerrid Powell, 33, was charged with four counts of murder, one count of residential robbery and one count of being a felon with a firearm, according to LA District Attorney George Gascón.
Powell also faces special circumstances of allegedly committing multiple murders and murder in the course of a robbery, as well as suspected personal use of a firearm, the DA’s office said.
The suspect appeared before a judge Monday afternoon and through his public attorney waived his right to a speedy trial.
The request now pushes Powell’s formal arraignment and plea to a later date, which the judge has scheduled for Jan. 8.
On Saturday, Los Angeles investigators said that Powell was the suspect linked to a series of killings that took place between Nov. 26 and Nov. 29.
He allegedly shot three unhoused men who were either sleeping on the street or in an alleyway in different parts of Los Angeles, on Nov. 26, Nov. 27 and Nov. 29, according to investigators.
The unhoused victims were only identified as a 37-year-old man, a 62-year-old man and a 52-year-old man, police said.
On Nov. 28, Powell allegedly followed Nicholas Simbolon into his garage, robbed him of his belongings and shot and killed him, police said.
Simbolon, 42, was a father of two who worked for the Los Angeles County Chief Executive Office as a project manager in the I.T. department, authorities said.
Powell was arrested late on Nov. 29 following a traffic stop in Beverly Hills and booked the next day, police said.
Investigators used an automatic license plate reader system for a 2024 gray BMW to flag the suspect’s whereabouts and used surveillance footage from Simbolon’s murder, according to police. Civil rights groups have raised concerns over the use of this technology by the police over privacy issues.
“The swift actions of law enforcement undoubtedly saved lives this week,” Gascón said in a statement.
Investigators are still searching for a motive and the investigation is ongoing.
If convicted, Powell faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole, the DA’s office said.
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