California authorities are currently searching for a possible serial killer suspected of killing at least five people in the upstate town of Stockton, local police said Wednesday.
Investigators have released a pixelated video of a suspect, dressed entirely in black and whose face cannot be seen, whom they wish to question in relation to five murders in the city over the past three months.
It could also be linked to a sixth homicide committed in the neighboring city of Oakland, about 80 kilometers from Stockton, according to several local media.
“This completely meets the definition of a serial killer,” Stockton police spokesman Joseph Silva told AFP.
The five murders committed in the same area of Stockton over the summer have a number of similarities, Stockton Police Chief Stanley McFadden told reporters on Tuesday.
These murders are linked together by ballistic elements, he said, without giving further details.
Police say at least three of the Stockton victims were homeless, as was a woman who was shot in Oakland in 2021 and survived her injuries.
“We are still trying to determine if one, two or more people committed this series of murders,” Silva said.
Police released the video of the suspect, who is seen limping slightly from behind in front of apartments, “in the hope that someone will recognize this person (…), because he has a very specific gait added the spokesperson.
The suspect was filmed by a camera close to some crime scenes. The victims “were alone in dark places, either late at night or early in the morning.”
A $125,000 reward has been announced for information leading to the arrest of the possible killer(s).
In Stockton, a city of 350,000 inhabitants located 65 km south of the California capital, Sacramento, the police have reinforced patrols and are asking residents to be careful.
“If you have to go out at night or early in the morning, try to have a friend or family member with you and avoid dark areas,” Silva advised.