Three homeless people found shot dead in a vacant lot in an unincorporated desert area south of Lancaster were identified Tuesday by county authorities.
Deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriffs’ Department’s Lancaster Station responded around 4:48 p.m. Sunday at 215th Street East and East Palmdale Boulevard regarding a report of gunshots, officials said.
The call was upgraded to multiple gunshot victims at the location and when deputies arrived at the scene, they found the three victims seated in two vehicles suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, said Sheriff’s homicide detective Lt. Steven De Jong.
All three victims were pronounced dead at the scene by Los Angeles County Fire Department personnel.
The dead were identified by the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office as Juan Arteaga Diaz, 44; Nazario Ramirez, 54; and Beverly Cassese, 65.
News video from the scene showed a white sedan with bullet holes in the driver’s side window and a red SUV in front of a white trailer. All the vehicles were in a vacant lot strewn with tires near what appeared to be a storage lot for commercial trailers.
Anyone with information regarding these shootings was asked to call the LASD Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Callers who wish to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or visit lacrimestoppers.org.
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