Attacker sought in stabbing death of 84-year-old man at South Whittier home

Authorities asked for help Wednesday in the search for a man who attacked two men in South Whittier, fatally stabbing one of the victims.

The attacker left the scene of the stabbing death, a house in the 15000 block of Goodhue Street, in the victim's vehicle, which was recovered the next day in Chino, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said at a Wednesday news conference.

The victim's body was found around 3 p.m. Tuesday at the house. He was identified by the coroner's office as 84-year-old Rolland Alexander II.

Sheriff Robert Luna showed a video at Wednesday's news conference that suggests the attacker entered the residence at about 2:45 p.m. Monday. Based on the video, the killing is believed to have happened Monday afternoon, authorities said.

Luna said the attacker left a couple of minutes later in the victim's vehicle, described as a silver Toyota RAV4, license number VPH289. Video shows a man running on a sidewalk in the residential neighborhood.

Luna said security images showed the victim's vehicle in Ontario around 3 a.m. Tuesday. It also was seen parked in Chino about three hours later.

"We believe the suspect has been driving around in this vehicle for at least a day, maybe a night, and if anybody saw this vehicle anywhere between the area of Whittier, all the way out to the area of, potentially, Chino or Ontario, please notify our homicide detectives immediately," Luna said.

Detectives said they believe the attacker also assaulted a senior man in the 15500 block of Fairview Street in the city of Whittier, a few blocks away from the homicide victim's home. That attack was likely a few minutes before the killing.

The attacker left when that victim's son intervened, Luna said.

Anyone with information on the case to call the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.