Suspected Serial Killer Arrested In LA Homeless Slayings

LOS ANGELES, CA — The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department on Tuesday announced the arrest of a 56-year-old man suspected of stabbing to death three people in homeless encampments over the course of 11 months.

The arrest of Tracy Walker comes as Los Angeles county grapples with a spike in homicides disproportionately affecting homeless victims. Detectives believe Walker stabbed two men and a woman near homeless encampments near the Compton area between January of 2020 and Feb. 9.

Walker has been in custody since Thursday, according to the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. He was arrested on suspicion of murder and was being held on $2 million bail. Detectives arrested him at a homeless encampment next to the Compton Creek bed.

"All three of the victims were killed in close proximity to each other, and all three victims appeared to have been homeless, possibly staying (at) homeless encampments at or near the Compton Creek bed," according to a sheriff's department statement.

"While being interviewed by homicide detectives, suspect Walker implicated himself in the murders of victims Loeza, Jones and Mazariegos," the statement continued.

According to investigators, the latest victim was 30-year-old Cesar Mazariegos whose body was discovered Feb. 9 by deputies patrolling the Compton Creek Bed. His body was discovered on the east side of the Compton Creek, down a dirt embankment. He had suffered stab wounds to the upper torso and was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Mazariegos was found while deputies were patrolling the area in response to the slayings of Patrica Loeza and Kenneth Jones, both 26. Loeza was found on June 7. She was stabbed repeatedly in the upper body and was pronounced dead at the scene. Jones was found in the same area six months later on Jan. 15. He was found with stab wounds to his upper body, along with blunt force trauma to his head, and was pronounced dead at the scene.