Homeless man allegedly killed by son in car theft

Police arrested a 35-year-old Pomona man on Tuesday for allegedly killed his homeless father in Long Beach earlier this week.

Long Beach police began investigating the case on June 23 after learning of an apparent carjacking at Santa Fe Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway. When officers arrived, they found 59-year-old Juan Morales with injuries to his upper and lower body.

The Long Beach Fire Department took Morales to the hospital, where he later died.

In their preliminary investigation, detectives said the victim and his 35-year-old son, Juan Manual Morales Jr., got into an argument before he allegedly ran over his father. Investigators are still determining the motive for the murder.

It took investigators two days to find Morales Jr., but they had a breakthrough when a business in the 1900 block of Artesia Boulevard reported an “unwelcome person.” Investigators claimed that officers who responded to the call recognized Morales’ car as the one used in his father’s murder.

They attempted to convince Morales Jr. to leave the store, but he refused to comply with officers’ orders. Police eventually used pepper spray and 40mm rounds to subdue the suspect, but neither of these methods worked.

Officers arrested Morales Jr. after he used an “electric weapon.”

He was issued with a murder warrant and two other warrants. His bail was set at $2.35 million. The Los Angeles County District Attorney did not immediately file charges against Morales Jr.