A 41-year-old man experiencing homelessness was arrested today in connection with the fatal stabbing of another man near a homeless encampment in Long Beach.
Officers sent to the 6700 block of Cherry Avenue about 6 p.m. on April 15 found 31-year-old Ricardo Guerrero of Long Beach behind a retail store, the Long Beach Police Department reported.
“The victim was unresponsive with stab wounds to the upper torso, and officers immediately began performing life-saving measures,” police said in a statement.
Paramedics took Guerrero to a hospital, where he died.
“Detectives believe the victim and a male adult suspect were near a homeless encampment when a dispute ensued between them and escalated into the stabbing,” police said. “The suspect fled the scene prior to the officers’ arrival.”
LBPD Special Investigations Division personnel located the suspect identified as Ricky Delarosa Fernandez outside of a motel in Norwalk and arrested him at about noon Thursday.
Investigators do not believe Fernandez and Guerrero knew each other.
Fernandez was booked into the Long Beach City Jail for murder and his bail was set at $2 million.
Anyone with information of the case was asked to call LBPD Homicide Detectives Adrian Garcia or Sean Magee at 562-570-7244. Anonymous tips can be called into Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or submitted online at lacrimestoppers.org.
