Multi-State Manhunt Ends In SoCal With Arrest Of 'Armed And Dangerous' Murder Suspect

LOS ANGELES, CA — The manhunt for an "armed and dangerous" murder suspect on the run in Southern California ended Tuesday thanks to an eagle-eyed security officer, authorities announced.

Alexander Lee Rogers, a 51-year-old murder suspect from Washington, set off alarms among local law enforcement when his car was found abandoned in Southern California over the weekend because of his history of deadly stabbings and car thefts.

At an afternoon news conference, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said officers from the department's Olympic Division received a call around 12:45 p.m. Tuesday from an unidentified security officer who claimed to have spotted Rogers near Lafayette Park in the Koreatown area.

"Rogers was positively identified at the scene and was taken into custody without incident and is currently being held at Olympic Station," McDonnell said.

Rogers, was wanted in connection with the fatal stabbing of 64-year-old Dawn Peters and the attempted murder of 73-year-old Andrew Peters, according to authorities. Both victims were Longview residents, police said.

He got out of prison 10 months ago after serving over two decades for burglary and assault charges. The sentence stemmed from a 2002 incident in which Rogers attacked two people with a machete and stole one of their cars, KGW reported.

Authorities previously thought Rogers, who was considered armed and dangerous, was likely still in Washington. But authorities found his car in Los Angeles on Aug. 5 along the 23000 block of Calabasas Road, just off the 101 Freeway near Mulholland Drive and Valley Circle Boulevard, according to the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff's Station, according to authorities.

Rogers was later spotted on video camera in the greater Los Angeles area, according to police.

"We thank the public for the hundreds of tips received during this investigation, which played a key role in this outcome," the Longview Police Department said in a statement on social media Tuesday. "Additional details will be released tomorrow."

City News Service contributed to this report.