Ken Evans, 54, and his daughter, 22-year-old McKenna Evans, responded to a man who asked for help. They did not know that a small argument with the man would lead to their untimely deaths on October 22.
The two were at the Kohl’s parking lot at the Destination O Eight Shopping Center, north of Los Angeles, checking and working on their car, when the incident happened. It was reported that a homeless man initially asked for help but stabbed both after a heated argument. The suspect was arrested in the parking lot.
Mr. Evans was brought to the hospital but died soon after. His daughter, McKenna, died at the scene.
“She wasn’t just my daughter, she was my best friend,” Elizabeth Evans, wife and mom of the victims, devastatingly shared. She added that McKenna cared and became friends with everyone she met. She lamented that her husband loved engaging in hobbies, including pool and mountain biking, and that he loved hanging out with their daughter.
Mrs. Evans suspects that the killer was on drugs at the time, and that her husband tried to protect their daughter from being hurt. She said that the suspect even smirked while he was being arrested.
Police said that Ken Evans and the suspect appear to have been living in their cars. It is unclear if the attacker and the victims knew each other.
The murder weapon has not been found. The suspect is in custody and is charged with murder.
Recent crime statistics show that several major US cities, including Los Angeles, are likely to surpass last year’s already shocking numbers of violent crime. Over the past year, the number of homicides in Los Angeles has spiked by 7%.