Leon Gaines, 56, was murdered on September 30, 1986, in Los Angeles. His death was one of several killings in the Skid Row area that month, a series later attributed to Michael Player, also known as Marcus Nisby. Victims in the spree were primarily homeless and were reportedly approached from behind and shot in the head, often while sleeping or otherwise vulnerable.

Player’s attacks began in early September 1986 and continued into early October. On the day Gaines was killed, Player also fatally shot another victim, Christopher Boyle. A surviving victim later provided a description that led investigators to identify Player as a suspect. Player died by a self-inflicted gunshot in a hotel room on October 10, 1986, after checking in under the alias Marcus Nisby; he was posthumously linked to the killings.

Are there memories or details about Leon Gaines or conditions on Skid Row in 1986 that could help shed light on his life and death?