Police in the northern California city of Stockton believe they have finally found a “person of interest” in the murders of five men over the last three months.
All five men were shot and killed late at night or very early in the morning on dates between July 8 and September 27. Alarmed at the seemingly motive-less killings, last month Stockton police began looking into whether the cases were connected. Now, in a new release published by the department on social media, cops have officially announced they believe the murders are the work of a serial killer.
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On Friday, Stockton Police Chief Stanley McFadden released a notice to the public on the department’s Facebook page about the unsolved murders.
In it, he noted that “misinformation has been spread” regarding the case, adding:
“I promised everyone when I received new updates on these cases I would share them publicly. I know there are many sources out there that are talking about this investigation. With that, misinformation has been spread. As this investigation moves forward, I will provide timely and verified information to you keeping in mind public safety and the needs of the investigation.”
Then came the real bombshell:
“Our investigators have reviewed many hours of video surveillance. They believe they located a ‘person of interest’ in this investigation.”
From there, McFadden outlined which five murders the detectives believe to be related: the killings of one white man and four Hispanic men between early July and late September, all during night-time or early-morning hours.
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The police department also shared a security camera image of the person they believe to be responsible for the killings (inset, above).
In the social media announcement, McFadden did not identify any of the victims by name. However, at least two of the victims’ families have since come forward and spoken to the media. One victim was identified as 54-year-old Lorenzo Lopez by his brother, Jerry Lopez.
In an interview with KXTV, Jerry said:
“[Lorenzo] was just a person who was out here at the wrong place at the wrong time at the wrong circumstance. It’s hard to process that this has happened. I mean, me and my brother have been like twins. We were a year apart so we were pretty close.”
Another victim was identified as 35-year-old Paul Alexander Yaw.
Yaw, who police believe was the first man killed by this assailant, was identified by his mother Greta Bogrow in a statement to ABC News, which read:
“He was a good boy who grew into a good man with a big heart. He will always live on in our hearts. He was always there for you if you needed him. He was a son, brother, father, grandson, nephew and cousin. I still can’t believe he’s not coming back. I hope this helps to catch the person(s) responsible.”
Here is more on the tragic and scary situation, from ABC News (below):
Now, the Stockton Police Department is offering a $75,000 reward — in addition to a $10,000 reward from Crime Stoppers — for information leading to the assailant’s arrest. Anyone with any info can call Stockton Police at 209-937-8167, or email policetips@stocktonca.gov.
This is such an awful and terrifying situation. Our hearts go out to the families of the victims…
[Image via ABC News/YouTube/Stockton Police Department]
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