In a chilling development, the recent murder of ex-Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Kevin Johnson might be linked to a series of violent deaths among homeless individuals near the Los Angeles River in Willowbrook, often referred to as Compton Creek. This information comes from sources connected to KABC-TV.
(The following coverage is related to previous reports.)
Johnson’s lifeless body was discovered on January 21 at a homeless encampment adjacent to Compton Creek. The L.A. County Medical Examiner’s records reveal that he suffered “blunt head trauma” and “stab wounds,” leading to his death being ruled a homicide.
At the time of his death, Johnson was 55 years old.
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Investigative sources have indicated that the series of murders in the Compton Creek vicinity began on October 5, 2025, with the shooting of a 52-year-old woman named Michelle Steele. She succumbed to her injuries in the hospital on November 12, 2025.
Three weeks later, on Dec. 4, a homeless man identified as 52-year-old Octavio Arias was murdered in the same area. According to L.A. County Medical Examiner records, Arias died from head and neck trauma.
The fourth victim, following the murder of Kevin Johnson, was identified as Mauro Alfaro, also in his 50s. According to sources, Alfaro was killed on Jan. 26, and the cause of death was blunt force trauma.
Sources inside the L.A. County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau tell KABC that investigators are now looking into the possibility that all four murders were done by the same killer. A suspect has not been identified.
Detectives are still trying to determine motives in the killings and trying to figure out if the suspect is someone who is upset with homeless people being in that area, or if drugs or gangs may be involved. Sources say there is no concrete evidence linking the cases together.
Anyone with information should call homicide detectives at 323-890-5500.
Investigators believe the former football player had been living at the encampment.
Friends say Johnson had health issues later in life that led him to live on the streets, but they called him a wonderful friend who still made an impact on his community.
“He was my best friend. I was best man at his wedding. Great guy, fun-loving. The community is going to miss him,” Bruce Todd told KABC-TV.
His friends said Johnson had health problems that they believe might have been the result of CTE.
Johnson, a native of Los Angeles, played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Oakland Raiders from 1995-1997.
After his career in the NFL ended, he played in the Arena Football League with the Orlando Predators and L.A. Avengers.
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