Person of interest sought In Lake Los Angeles triple homeless killing

Sheriff’s investigators identified a person of interest being sought Tuesday in connection with the killings of three homeless people who were found shot in a vacant lot in an unincorporated desert area south of Lancaster.

Deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriffs’ Department’s Lancaster Station responded around 4:48 p.m. Sunday at 215th Street East and East Palmdale Boulevard regarding a report of gunshots, officials said.

The call was upgraded to multiple gunshot victims at the location and when deputies arrived at the scene, they found the three victims seated in two vehicles suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, said Sheriff’s homicide detective Lt. Steven De Jong.

All three victims were pronounced dead at the scene by Los Angeles County Fire Department personnel.

Investigators on Tuesday identified 32-year-old Axel Trevino as a person of interest in the case, although no details were provided about his possible connection to the victims. He was described as a 5-foot-9-inch man weighing 180 pounds, believed to be traveling in a 2021 silver Nissan Altima.

The Sheriff’s Information Bureau released a photo of Trevino in hopes of generating tips from the public about his whereabouts.

The dead were identified by the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office as Juan Arteaga Diaz, 44; Nazario Ramirez, 54; and Beverly Cassese, 65.

News video from the scene of the killings showed a white sedan with bullet holes in the driver’s side window and a red SUV in front of a white trailer. All the vehicles were in a vacant lot strewn with tires near what appeared to be a storage lot for commercial trailers.

Anyone with information regarding the shootings was asked to call the LASD Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Callers who wish to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or visit lacrimestoppers.org.