Police on trail of possible serial killer in California

California authorities are currently searching for a 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 faceless suspect, dressed in all black, who they want to question in connection with five murders in the city in the past three months.

According to several local media, it may be linked to a sixth homicide in neighboring Oakland, about 80 kilometers from Stockton.

“It absolutely meets the definition of a serial killer,” Stockton police spokesman Joseph Silva told AFP.

Stockton Police Chief Stanley McFadden told reporters Tuesday that five homicides in the same area of ​​Stockton over the summer have many similarities.

The killings were linked to ballistic factors, he said, without giving further details.

Police say at least three of Stockton’s victims, like the woman who survived the 2021 Oakland shooting, were homeless.

“We are still trying to determine whether one, two or more people were involved in this series of murders,” Silva said.

Police released a video of the suspect, who was seen limping slightly from behind in front of the apartments, “in the hope that someone will recognize this man (…), because he has a very specific gait.

The suspect was filmed by a camera close to some of the crime scenes. The victims were “alone in dark places, late at night or early in the morning.”

A $125,000 reward has been announced for information leading to the arrest of the killer(s).

In Stockton, a city of 350,000 residents about 65 km south of California’s capital Sacramento, police have stepped up patrols and are urging residents to be cautious.

“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,” advises Silva.