A man wanted in connection with a fatal shooting and robbery in Los Angeles earlier this year fled from police Friday by carjacking an SUV – killing the vehicle’s owner in the process by dragging his body for over two miles, police said.
Joshua Renau, 31, a suspect in a San Fernando Valley murder and robbery that occurred on July 29, was under police surveillance Friday when he jumped into the passenger seat of an SUV and sped off, the LAPD said.
“The murder suspect got out of the passenger side and carjacked another vehicle,” police said in a statement. “The murder suspect drove away from Florence Avenue and Haas Avenue, dragging the carjacking victim.”
The victim, who became entangled in his seatbelt, was dragged for over two miles before he broke free.
A woman who was picking up her kids at a nearby after-school program described the horrifying scene.
“We just saw a car coming straight at us with a dead body hanging out of the bottom,” Tina Atkins told NBC Los Angeles. “I hopped the curb with my kids in the car because I didn’t want them to hit me.”
The victim, who became entangled in his seatbelt, was dragged for over two miles before he broke free. KTLA 5
Officials arrive at the scene after the deadly carjacking. KTLA 5The suspect eventually crashed the SUV, which overturned near Edward Vincent Jr. Park in the Inglewood area, but he refused to get out and a standoff ensued with a SWAT team near a cemetery.
He gave up almost two hours later and the unidentified owner of the SUV was found dead nearby.
Renau was wanted in connection with a homicide during the robbery of a Reseda-area jewelry store, where police located two people with gunshot wounds at 12 a.m. July 29, according to the LAPD.
The suspect eventually crashed the SUV, which overturned near Edward Vincent Jr. Park in the Inglewood area, but he refused to get out and a standoff ensued with a SWAT team near a cemetery. KTLA 5The victims were treated and released from a local hospital.
Less than an hour later, police responded to another call in Reseda and located a victim with a gunshot wound, cops said.
The victim, identified as 32-year-old Earl Hunter, was pronounced dead at the hospital.
“Valley Bureau Homicide detectives responded to both crime scenes and, through investigation, learned that the victims were confronted by three males,” police said in a statement.
“Two of the suspects were armed with handguns. One of the suspects grabbed the victim’s two large necklaces. During the incident, the victim was shot,” it added.
The same suspects were involved in both cases, police said.
On Thursday, police arrested Derek Hall, 28, and Miracole Brown, 20, on charges of robbery and murder.
Later that day, detectives also identified and obtained a murder arrest warrant for Reneau.
