Fatal shooting suspect allegedly followed man home from West Covina to San Dimas

SAN DIMAS, Calif. (KABC) -- An arrest has been made in connection with the murder of a San Dimas man who was shot earlier this week during a follow-home robbery, authorities said Thursday.

The suspect, identified as Jerrid Joseph Powell, 33, of Los Angeles, allegedly followed the victim from a charging station in West Covina to his home in San Dimas. There he robbed and shot him, then fled the scene, authorities said.

The man who was killed was identified as 42-year-old Nicholas Simbolon, an employee of the Los Angeles County Chief Executive Office. Officials don't believe his job developing software for the county was related to the motive for the killing and robbery.

Officials say Simbolon's wife found him unresponsive in the garage Tuesday evening.

Deputies arrived to find the victim in the garage suffering from a gunshot wound to his upper torso, the Sheriff's Department said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators were able to use surveillance footage to determine that Simbolon was likely followed home from a charging station on South Citrus Street in West Covina. They identified a vehicle from the footage and put out a "Wanted, Armed and Dangerous," law-enforcement alert.

Wednesday morning, Beverly Hills police spotted the vehicle - a 2024 BMW sedan - and made a traffic stop. Powell was the only occupant and officials say they found a firearm in the vehicle. The weapon is being examined to determine if it was used in the San Dimas murder.

Powell was booked for murder and robbery and was behind held on $2.1 million bail.

A man was shot and killed inside of his garage in San Dimas, and authorities are looking into the possibility that it started as a a follow-home robbery.

Nicholas Simbolon is survived by his wife, his mother and two sons, ages 8 and 10.

"What happened to my safe neighborhood? Why can't we go some place and do what we got to to do, and then have to worry about somebody following us home," said one resident did not wish to be publicly identified.

Arka Sujana, who lives near the scene, said he knew Simbolon "because we are (in) the same church. I feel lost. I cannot believe it. I cannot believe it."

Anyone with information about the case is urged to call the sheriff's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.