Branden Ridout, 24, was killed on September 16, 2018, during a series of brutal attacks on people sleeping outdoors in Los Angeles and Santa Monica. The assaults, carried out with a baseball bat, targeted primarily homeless individuals; the attacker rifled through victims’ belongings after beating them. Ridout was one of three people who died in the spree, the others being Kelvin Williams, 59, and Steven Ray Cruze Jr., 39. Cruze was not homeless full time but sometimes slept outside.

Authorities say the suspect, Ramon Escobar, 47, arrived in Los Angeles on September 5, 2018, and carried out multiple attacks until his arrest on September 24, 2018. He was described by law enforcement as a violent predator and was charged with multiple counts including murder, attempted murder, and second-degree robbery. The killings highlighted the particular vulnerability of people who sleep in public spaces.

Did anyone in the Los Angeles or Santa Monica area see or hear anything about attacks or suspicious activity in mid-September 2018 that could help fill gaps in the timeline?