The stabbing death of former NFL defensive lineman Kevin Johnson is now officially linked to a terrifying string of three other homicides sweeping through the Los Angeles area, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. This is absolutely devastating news, and it points to a pattern of calculated violence targeting the most vulnerable members of the community.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, or LASD, Homicide Bureau has confirmed it is actively investigating four homicide cases that took place in the same localized area between October 2025 and January 2026. One of those tragic cases is the death of Johnson, who Fox claims a defensive lineman for both the Philadelphia Eagles and the Oakland Raiders during the 1990s.
Johnson’s body was found at a homeless encampment on January 21, 2026. It’s heartbreaking to see a former professional athlete end up in such a dire situation. Records show his cause of death was attributed to both blunt head trauma and stab wounds. Unfortunately, serial killers tend to have gruesome methods.
What a tragic loss, but it may not be the last
The most disturbing factor linking these crimes is the identity of the victims. The LASD officially stated that all four victims were unhoused individuals who were living in encampments in the vicinity of the 1300 block of East 120th Street. This location is in the Compton Creek area, and the fact that a killer is specifically targeting people who are already struggling to survive is truly disturbing.
The timeline of these attacks shows a horrifying escalation over just a few months. The series of killings began on October 5, 2025, with the attack on 52-year-old Michelle Steele, who was shot in the head. She held on for over a month before tragically dying in the hospital on November 12, 2025.
Just a few weeks later, the violence struck again. On December 4, 2025, 52-year-old Octavio Arias was killed in the same area. Sources indicate that Arias died due to head and neck trauma. Johnson was the third victim identified in this string of attacks.
The terror didn’t stop there. The LASD found the fourth victim just days after Johnson, on January 26, 2026. That victim was identified as Mauro Alfaro, and sources close to the investigation said his death was caused by blunt force trauma. This is a very short and terrifying timeline for four separate, violent deaths to occur within the same small area.
Investigators are working closely with personnel from the Century Sheriff’s Station and the Operation Safe Streets Bureau to try to identify the person responsible for this horrific violence. While this isn’t the most people killed by a serial killer, it is still concerning whenever one is active. The investigation into all four homicides remains active and ongoing.
