LA County Murder Suspect Manhunt Ends In Arrest Thanks To Tipster

LOS ANGELES — A Los Angeles County man has been arrested in connection with the Aug. 28 stabbing death of an 84-year-old man in Whittier.

Kaszey Encarnacion, 25, of La Habra was charged one count of murder, two counts of burglary, and one count of attempted mayhem against Rolland Alexander II, who was killed in the stabbing, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in an email to Patch.com.

Alexander II was found around 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 29 in a house in the 15300 block of Goodhue Street, just west of the Whittier city limits in the unincorporated South Whittier area, sheriff's officials said.

During an Aug. 30 news conference on the stabbing, LASD officials alleged the suspect, later identified as Encarnacion, left in the victim's vehicle, a silver Toyota RAV4, which was recovered in Chino.

Sheriff Robert Luna displayed security video during the news conference indicating Encarnacion had entered Alexander's residence about 2:45 p.m. Monday.

"Based on the surveillance video, we believe the murder occurred on Aug. 28 at approximately 2:45 p.m.," Luna said.

"Shortly after the press conference, a community member reported seeing a person matching the description of the murder suspect to the Covina Police Department," the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said. Wednesday, Sept. 6.

Covina PD officers responded and detained the male later identified Encarnacion, LASD said.

Encarnacion was taken into custody about 9 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 3, LASD officials said.

"Tips from the public and other law enforcement agencies, along with surveillance footage that was recovered, led investigators to identify Encarnacion as the suspect," sheriff officials said.

Luna said that Encarnacion was also suspected of assaulting an "elderly" man in the 15500 block of Fernview Street in Whittier, about four-tenths of a mile from Alexander's home just a few minutes before the homicide, but he fled when that victim's son intervened in that attack.

Encarnacion is currently being held on $3 million bail.

Anyone with information on the case should call the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

City News Service contributed to this story.