The search has intensified for 51-year-old Alexander Lee Rogers, wanted for murder in Longview, Washington, after his car was located in Calabasas, Southern California. Rogers is accused of killing 64-year-old Dawn Peters and attempting to murder 73-year-old Andrew Peters in an incident that took place on Tuesday, just before noon, according to the Longview Police Department, as reported by ABC7. Though Rogers' motive remains unclear, police suspect an unprovoked attack.
On Monday, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department located a vehicle registered to Rogers near a hiking trail on Calabasas Road, FOX LA reported. He is believed to be armed and dangerous, and authorities have urged the public to avoid approaching him and instead call 911 on sighting. Rogers is described as a 6'2" white male, weighing 190 lbs, and was last seen driving a partially spray-painted black BMW with a Washington license plate BNU8712.
Rogers' past includes a 20-year prison term for attempted murder using a machete in the early 2000s, and he was released about ten months before the Longview stabbing, as detailed by the Longview Police Department in a Facebook post covered by KTLA. Surveillance footage placed Rogers in the Calabasas area both before and after his car was abandoned. Despite his means being limited, authorities expressed concern that Rogers may resort to stealing cars or committing further violence.
Investigators from the Longview Police Department are coordinating with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department to analyze Rogers' car for evidence. They've also released previous booking photos of Rogers, and bodycam footage recorded during a vehicle licensing issue encounter that took place two hours before the Longview attack. The officers found nothing criminal at that time to detain Rogers, as noted by Capt. Brandon McNew in the same footage, mentioned by NBC Los Angeles.
Detectives are combing the Southern California area, working diligently to piece together Rogers' movements and determine if he has received any local support. Anyone with information on Rogers is encouraged to contact the Longview Police Department or send anonymous tips via text. "This is, like, unimaginable heartbreak. Every family member is devastated, everyone is grieving in a different way, so please, everybody, just pray for them," family friend Jill Nunes implored in a statement obtained by ABC7.
