Two people are in custody in connection with a three-hour, gang-related killing spree Feb. 11 and 12 in Los Angeles County resulting in the deaths of three men and one teen, according to the sheriff’s office.
Gary Jonathan Garcia, 42, and Wayne McNeely Timberland, 20, both gang members, were arrested in San Bernardino County on Feb. 13 and remain detained in Los Angeles, according to officials.
Sheriff’s homicide investigators are looking for a third suspect, who could be a Hispanic or black adult, and believe the incident was gang-related, said Capt. Andrew Meyer of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department homicide bureau at a press conference Tuesday afternoon.
“It appears this was a random murder spree, however, homicide investigators haven’t ruled anything out,” Mr. Meyer said. “There may be other incidents but at this time, we don’t have any information indicating that.”
Detectives identified the suspect’s vehicle, a red Honda Pilot, and license plate information by reviewing surveillance videos from the four crime scenes, Mr. Meyer added. The information was then blasted to other law enforcement in the region, leading to a traffic stop Tuesday in San Bernardino and the capture of one of the suspects, sheriff’s officials said.
The second suspect was located at his home Monday night after detectives obtained a search warrant for his arrest, according to Mr. Meyer. Other details about the location of the home and the arrest were not made available in the ongoing investigation.
The sheriff’s department expects to forward the case to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office later this week.
The shootings occurred within a few hours late Sunday and early Monday, according to the sheriff’s department.
The first shooting was reported about 11:30 p.m. at the 6000 block of Bear Avenue in Bell, about 11 miles south of Los Angeles. Sheriff’s detectives assisted Bell police with the investigation, according to the report. At the scene, they found a Hispanic man suffering from a gunshot and a second person who was not injured, Mr. Meyer said.
The victim, identified by the county medical examiner as Kevin Parada, a 24-year-old husband and father, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Homicide detectives responded to a second death reported about 12:04 a.m. Monday at the 1500 block of East Florence Avenue in Los Angeles. The victim, a man in his 20s, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the sheriff’s office.
At about 12:19 a.m., a 14-year-old boy, identified by the medical examiner as Javier Pedraza Jr. of Cudahy, was shot and killed while walking with a friend in a residential area of Cudahy, next to the Los Angeles River. The two teens were reportedly walking near Ellen Ochoa Learning Center.
Deputies pronounced the boy dead at the scene. His friend was shot in the leg and was taken to a nearby hospital where he is listed in stable condition, according to the sheriff’s department.
The fourth shooting occurred at 2:37 a.m. in the 6300 block of Santa Fe Avenue in Huntington Park, about seven miles south of downtown Los Angeles, according to officials.
Morning patrol officers found the victim, a homeless man in his 40s, lying in the street.
“We know he was simply walking down the street and was randomly targeted,” Huntington Park Police Chief Cosme Lozano told media at Tuesday’s press conference.
Investigators have not yet recovered the firearm used in the shootings, according to Mr. Meyer. One suspect arrested Tuesday, Mr. Garcia, has an extensive criminal history, but Mr. Timberland has never been arrested.
Mr. Garcia remained in custody on an $8 million bond. In his latest arrest Dec. 19, 2023, the district attorney did not file charges and he was released one day later. He was also arrested Nov. 17, 2023, for a misdemeanor. He was cited and released, according to county inmate records.
Local officials were troubled as the investigation continued.
Bell Mayor Fidencio Gallardo said he was grateful for the quick resolution.
“The loss of life is always a tragedy, but at least we have some closure in a timely manner,” Mr. Gallardo said at the press conference Tuesday.
Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said enough was enough.
“Overnight murderous gun violence victimizes the youth of our community,” Mr. Carvalho posted on X. “As we learn more about the shootings that claimed the life of one teenager and injured another, we stand ready to provide support to the impacted school communities.”
The sheriff’s department’s East Los Angeles substation planned to increase patrols around Cudahy schools to alleviate community concerns following the shootings.
