Tracy Walker was born in 1964 in Mississippi and grew up in poverty, raised by his mother in a home shared with several of her partners over the years. He was one of eight boys, each with different fathers. Financial hardship meant that Walker had to leave school in the late 1970s and take up various manual labor jobs. In 1985, seeking a fresh start, he moved to Los Angeles, found work, got married, and bought a house. At that time, friends and neighbors considered him stable, with no criminal history or substance abuse problems.

Walker’s life changed drastically in 1991 when he was working as a security guard at a bus depot. On December 7, a dispute with another guard ended with Walker fatally shooting the man. He fled in a school bus but was quickly stopped by police. In the confrontation, he attempted to open fire on officers, who shot him seven times. He survived, was arrested, and later had his charge reduced from first-degree murder to voluntary manslaughter. He pleaded guilty and received a 16-year sentence.

While in prison, his mental health deteriorated, with diagnoses including schizophrenia and PTSD. In the late 1990s, he was transferred to a mental institution, and by 2001, he was released after being deemed no longer a threat. However, life on the outside proved unstable. Over the next two decades, Walker drifted between homeless shelters, the streets, and short-term jobs as a cleaner, laborer, or security guard. He lost contact with family and lived a solitary life, often armed with a knife for protection. In 2011, he was arrested for unlawful possession of an edged weapon and given probation. By the late 2010s, he had moved to an isolated camp near Compton Creek, where his life as a loner would take a deadly turn.

Tracy Walker’s known killing spree began in June 2020 with the murder of 26-year-old Patricia Loeza, a homeless woman found stabbed eight times on South Susanna Road in Rancho Dominguez. Police found receipts and a juice carton near her body, traced them to local stores, and discovered Walker on surveillance footage. Known among the homeless as “Solo,” Walker was detained but released due to lack of evidence, though police found multiple knives in his tent.

On January 15, 2021, Walker struck again, killing 26-year-old Kenneth Edward Jones, another homeless man, on South Santa Fe Avenue. Jones was beaten to death, sustaining severe head injuries. Walker later claimed Jones had tried to steal his bicycle, prompting a violent struggle in which Walker stabbed him and then bludgeoned him with bolt cutters.

The third murder occurred on February 9, 2021. Walker killed 30-year-old Cesar Mazariegos, a recently released gang member who had been trying to find steady work. His body was discovered under tumbleweed, carpet, and a tarp near Del Amo Boulevard. Walker initially denied involvement, blaming gang members, but evidence began to link him to the crime.

Surveillance footage later showed Walker moving a large object into nearby woods before dismantling his camp. A search of his tent and rented storage unit uncovered stolen goods, numerous knives, bolt cutters, and a copy of the California Penal Code with the section on murder highlighted. Walker was arrested on February 11, 2021. Facing the possibility of the death penalty, he struck a plea deal, confessing to all three murders. He claimed the first killing was revenge for theft, the second was over a stolen bicycle, and the third was self-defense.

In September 2021, Walker pleaded guilty to all charges. On October 18, 2021, he was sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 110 years. While investigators suspected he might be linked to other unsolved crimes, no additional murders could be proven. He remains incarcerated in California.