In a somber update to a recent homicide, Long Beach police have detained a suspect in connection with the murder of a 50-year-old homeless individual, a crime that shook the local community. According to the official Long Beach Police Department press release, detectives arrested 49-year-old Billy Zepeda, also described as a person experiencing homelessness, on Tuesday. Zepeda was found near Baltic Avenue and Willow Street, where authorities recovered a firearm.
Booked for murder and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, Zepeda's apprehension has raised the stakes. His bail currently stands at $2,000,000, while the motive behind the killing remains a mystery, as per the LBPD. Investigators are piecing together the motives that underlay this brutal act. The deceased's identity is yet to be released, pending next of kin notification by the Los Angeles County Department of the Medical Examiner.
The origin of this investigation was the shooting incident reported last Thursday, in which a male adult suffered a fatal gunshot wound the same evening despite medical efforts. The police had been called to the 200 block of W Broadway, near Lincoln Park, where the victim was discovered and subsequently transported to a local hospital, only to succumb to injuries.
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact Homicide Detectives Eric Thai or Chasen Contreras at (562) 570-7244. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling LA Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477), using the “P3 Tips” smartphone app (available in the Apple App Store and Google Play), or visiting www.LACrimeStoppers.org, the LBPD stated.
