Larry Walker, a 63-year-old man from La Habra, California, died violently when he was carjacked and dragged behind his own vehicle for over two miles, police said.
The circumstances leading to Walker’s death began with an investigation into a murder that occurred about an hour north in Reseda back in late July. Police suspected that Joshua Reneau, 31, may have been involved in that murder, and the LAPD fugitive task force began surveilling him.
Last Thursday, police said they spotted Reneau leaving a residence on the 5900 block of 7th Avenue in South Los Angeles. He and at least one other man reportedly entered a Toyota Prius. Reneau entered a rear passenger seat, while Jamal Sutherland, 34, reportedly got into the driver’s seat. The identity of a possible third male in the car is unknown.
Police began tailing the Prius in a marked vehicle. Once Reneau and Sutherland discovered the marked cop car, they supposedly attempted to evade it, prompting a police chase.
At some point during the chase, the Prius crashed into another vehicle. Reneau then reportedly jumped out of the back seat of the Prius and carjacked a nearby SUV — an SUV that belonged to 63-year-old Walker.
Reneau then allegedly carjacked Walker and attempted to commandeer his vehicle. Unfortunately, Walker became entangled in his seat belt and could not extract himself from the car. Rather than concern himself with Walker’s welfare, Reneau supposedly began driving with Walker stuck underneath the vehicle.
Police stated that the chase continued for another two or three miles, and Walker remained helplessly stuck underneath the SUV. Eventually, the SUV Reneau was driving struck two police cars near Prairie and Florence Avenues in Inglewood and then flipped over, rendering the vehicle inoperable.
Though Reneau appeared to be surrounded by law enforcement, he allegedly continued to resist arrest. Police said he refused to leave the incapacitated SUV for over two hours, despite suffering some injuries in the crash. He eventually left the vehicle, was placed under arrest, and taken to a county jail hospital to treat his injuries.
Walker was pronounced dead at the crash site. Investigators said he died of multiple blunt force trauma injuries.
Reneau is currently booked without bail on unknown felony charges. He is expected to face additional charges in Walker’s death. According to jail records, Reneau was also arrested for unspecified felonies in February 2021 and January 2022. He is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.
Sutherland, the alleged Prius driver, has also been charged with felony evasion.
Police still believe that Reneau, Derek Hall, 28, of West Covina, and Miracole Brown, 20, of South L.A. were involved in the July homicide.