Detectives canvassed a Lake Balboa neighborhood and pored through surveillance video from businesses on Tuesday with the hope of finding the man who fatally stabbed a homeless man in his 30s.
The incident happened around 1 a.m. near Vanowen Street and Woodley Avenue, police said.
Surveillance video from a nearby business captured the man as he walked on the sidewalk.
Investigators believe the victim had been approaching cars, begging, before he was stabbed, said Capt. Paul Vernon, of the Los Angeles Police Department. But it was unknown what prompted the stabbing.
People who live in the area say it's common to see homeless men and women. Many gather near a recycling center, just a few feet away from where the man was stabbed, they said.
"You always see them everywhere. They are always asking for money," said Cynthia Aguilar, a resident. "I feel bad because it's someone who doesn't have a job, doesn't have a house. So they're living in the streets. I felt sad for him."
Manuel Aguilar said the victim was his former neighbor until last year when the man was evicted.
"He was always calm," he said.
Oleevia Woo and Corey Arvin contributed to this report.
