A homeless man suspected of stabbing to death a fellow diner at a downtown Los Angeles Mexican restaurant on New Year’s Day was in custody Saturday morning. John Cádiz Klemack reports for Today in LA on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020.
A 49-year-old homeless man was charged Tuesday in the New Year's Day stabbing death of a customer inside a downtown Los Angeles restaurant.
Devan Cleef Lampkin was charged with one count of murder with an allegation of using a knife in the slaying, which was captured on security camera video. He is scheduled Tuesday for arraignment.
Homer Garcia, 56, was attacked during an argument with the suspect inside Margarita's Place in the 100 bock of East Seventh Street on the morning of Jan. 1, police said.
Security camera video shows Garcia, dressed in a coat and stocking hat with his arm extended, speaking with the man at the restaurant counter before he is stabbed. The assailant can be seen calmly picking up his belongings and walking away from the restaurant on the edge of Los Angeles' Skid Row.
It was not immediately clear what the two men were talking about before the suspect stabbed Garcia in the chest.
"I keep asking myself, what could he have said to this person to cause such a rage in this person that he stabbed him multiple times?" said Garcia's sister, Maribel Garcia.
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On Friday, a caller notified police that the suspect was inside the downtown Central Library. Officers arrested Lampkin later that day.
It was not immediately clear whether Lampkin has an attorney. Bail was set at $2 million.
Lampkin faces up to life in prison, if convicted.
