BR serial killer targeting the homeless

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BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - The Baton Rouge Police Department now believes the deaths of three homeless people in two separate incidents are connected. Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul and East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore held a press conference Friday, Dec. 27 to address the recent killings.

The victim in the Dec. 27 incident was a black male, while the victims from the previous shooting were a white male and female. All appeared to be homeless.

Chief Paul says the cases are being aggressively worked by officers and that organizations that work with the homeless community have been notified in order to help protect homeless individuals. He says it’s dangerous for homeless people to sleep outdoors. He also says officers have been contacting members of the homeless community in order to inform them about the recent killings.

While Chief Paul says the department believes the homicides are connected, they cannot be absolutely positive at this time. More information will be released when it’s prudent to do so, he says. Federal law enforcement partners have been alerted, Paul says. The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office and Louisiana State Police are also involved.

When asked if he has a message to the person responsible for the killings, Paul responded, “Turn yourself in.”

Moore also spoke at the press conference, reiterating much of what the chief said. He says many detectives have been working on the cases and that they will continue to investigate aggressively.

Anyone with information in the cases is asked to call BRPD at 225-389-2000 or Crime Stoppers at 225-344-7867.