Homeless Man Dies Of Burn Injuries After Skid Row Tent Is Set On Fire; Suspect In Custody
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — A Los Angeles man was charged Wednesday with capital murder for allegedly setting a tent ablaze on skid row, killing a homeless man.
Jonathan Early, 38, was arrested near where a tent was found on fire at about 11:30 p.m. Monday in the area of 6th and San Pedro streets, Los Angeles police spokesman Officer Mike Lopez said.
The victim was identified by the District Attorney's Office as Dwayne Fields, 62, but the Los Angeles Community Action Network -- a group working to combat
homelessness and provide services for the poor -- said his name was Darrell Fields, a long-time skid row resident.
Fields was taken to a hospital, where he died of burn injuries after he was found in the burning tent.
Early was booked on suspicion of murder and is being held on $2 million bail.
According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, the murder charge includes the special circumstance allegation of murder involving the infliction of torture.
Early was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom but a judge delayed the hearing until Sept. 25.
Police did not immediately disclose a motive for the attack, which remained under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department's Robbery-Homicide Division and the Los Angeles City Fire Department's Arson/Counter-Terrorism Section.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
