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WILLOWBROOK, Calif. — The tragic murder of Kevin Johnson, a former defensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles, may be linked to a series of three other murders involving homeless individuals residing in encampments along the Los Angeles River near Willowbrook, also referred to as Compton Creek, according to information obtained by our affiliate station KABC-TV.
Johnson’s lifeless body was discovered within a homeless encampment adjacent to Compton Creek on January 21. The L.A. County Medical Examiner’s records indicate that his death resulted from “blunt head trauma” and “stab wounds,” with the case being classified as a homicide.
At the time of his death, Johnson was 55 years old.
As reported by sources familiar with the ongoing investigation, this string of murders in the Compton Creek vicinity commenced on October 5, 2025. The first victim, identified as 52-year-old Michelle Steele, suffered a gunshot wound to the head and succumbed to her injuries in the hospital on November 12, 2025.
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.
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 KABC 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.
Anyone with information should call homicide detectives at 323-890-5500.
Investigators believe the former football player had been living at the encampment.
Friends say Johnson had health issues later in life that led him to live on the streets, but they called him a wonderful friend who still made an impact on his community.
“He was my best friend. I was best man at his wedding. Great guy, fun-loving. The community is going to miss him,” Bruce Todd told KABC-TV.
His friends said Johnson had health problems that they believe might have been the result of CTE.
Johnson, a native of Los Angeles, played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Oakland Raiders from 1995-1997.
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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