Person of Interest in Homeless Stabbings Detained

The person of interest in a series of homeless stabbings in Hollywood, Los Angeles and Santa Monica, was questioned Friday night by homicide detectives.

The Los Angeles Police Department identified the man as Courtney Anthony Robinson, who also goes by the name David Ben Keyes.

Cmdr. Andrew Smith told City News Service that Robinson was detained in Hollywood and questioned overnight. He was previously named as a person of interest in the knife attacks on three homeless people.

Possibly homeless himself, he recently came to the Los Angeles area from Santa Barbara, according to the LAPD.

The non-fatal stabbings occurred between July 3 and Thursday, and in each incident, homeless victims were stabbed in the back with knives as they slept. The assailant left behind typed and signed "death warrants," investigators said.

Robinson was also described Friday as having a slender build with a weight of 145 pounds. A new photo, above this article, was also released.

The Los Angeles Police Department urged homeless individuals to take safety precautions, including moving into shelters.

The first stabbing occurred about 1 a.m. July 3, near Third and Main streets in the Skidrow area of Los Angeles. A 50-year-old was stabbed in the back as he lay on the sidewalk. 

The second stabbing was about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday in front of the Goodwill in downtown Santa Monica, near Sixth street and Santa Monica Boulevard.  In that incident, a 59-year-old man was stabbed in the back while laying on a bus bench. 

The most recent assault occurred two days later at about 2:20 a.m. near La Brea Avenue and DeLongpre Avenue in Hollywood, when a woman laying on the sidewalk was also stabbed in the back.

Anyone with information was asked to contact LAPD robbery homicide detectives at (213) 486-6890.  During non-business hours or on weekends, call 1-877-LAPD-24-7.