The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) reported on Tuesday that the fatal stabbing of former NFL defensive lineman Kevin Johnson might be linked to a string of murders in the area.
According to LASD, their Homicide Bureau is looking into a series of murders that occurred near the 1300 block of East 120th Street from October 2025 to January 2026. Over that period, there have been four homicides, and these cases remain active investigations. One of the victims was Johnson, who played for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Oakland Raiders during the 1990s.
Johnson’s body was found at a homeless encampment on January 21. The coroner’s report indicated that he died from blunt force trauma and stab wounds.
LASD noted that all four of the deceased were homeless people living in encampments close to the 1300 block of East 120th Street.
To aid in the investigations, the Homicide Bureau is collaborating with the Century Sheriff’s Office and the Operation Safe Streets Bureau.
Earlier in this series of violent incidents, police reported that the first victim, 52-year-old Michelle Steele, was shot in the head on October 5, 2025. She passed away in the hospital on November 12. On December 4, another victim, 52-year-old Octavio Arias, was killed in the same area from head and neck trauma. Johnson became the third victim in this series.
On January 26, LASD confirmed the death of a fourth victim, Mauro Alfaro, who also succumbed to blunt force trauma.
The investigation into these homicides continues, and LASD encourages anyone with information to reach out to the Homicide Bureau.
