Murder of ex-NFL player possibly connected to 3 other murders in Willowbrook area, sources say

Story byMurder of ex-NFL player possibly connected to 3 other murders in Willowbrook area, sources sayRob Hayes, Jason Burks, Julie SoneWed, February 4, 2026 at 2:29 AM UTC·2 min read

Eyewitness News has learned the murder of former NFL player Kevin Johnson may be connected to three separate murders of homeless people living in encampments along the L.A. River near Willowbrook, sometimes called Compton Creek.

Johnson's body was found at a homeless encampment next to Compton Creek on Jan. 21. His cause of death was listed as "blunt head trauma" and "stab wounds," and the manner of death was ruled a homicide, according to L.A. County Medical Examiner records.

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Johnson was 55 years old.

ORIGINAL REPORT: Former NFL player Kevin Johnson stabbed to death at LA homeless encampment

Former NFL player Kevin Johnson was found dead at a homeless encampment in the Los Angeles area. The manner of death was ruled a homicide.

According to sources close to the investigation, the string of murders in the Compton Creek area began on Oct. 5, 2025, when a woman, identified as 52-year-old Michelle Steele, was shot in the head. She died in the hospital on Nov. 12, 2025.

Three weeks later, on Dec. 4, a homeless man identified as 52-year-old Octavio Arias was murdered in the same area. According to L.A. County Medical Examiner records, Arias died from head and neck trauma.

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The fourth victim, following the murder of Kevin Johnson, was identified as Mauro Alfaro, also in his 50s. According to sources, Alfaro was killed on Jan. 26, and the cause of death was blunt force trauma.

Sources inside the L.A. County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau tell Eyewitness News that investigators are now looking into the possibility that all four murders were done by the same killer. A suspect has not been identified.

Detectives are still trying to determine motives in the killings and trying to figure out if the suspect is someone who is upset with homeless people being in that area, or if drugs or gangs may be involved. Sources say there is no concrete evidence linking the cases together.

Eight detectives are working the case, and say they are having a hard time getting information from the homeless population in the area. County workers have been conducting outreach in the area, trying to get the homeless population to move out into other housing.

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Anyone with information should call homicide detectives at 323-890-5500 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS(8477).

Kevin Johnson, while on the Philadelphia Eagles, looks on from the sideline during a game against Washington at Veterans Stadium on October 8, 1995 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. George Gojkovich/Getty Images

Johnson, a native of L.A., played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Oakland Raiders from 1995 to 1997.

After his career in the NFL ended, he played in the Arena Football League with the Orlando Predators and L.A. Avengers.

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