Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide investigators have connected a man arrested in Canyon Country Friday morning to a drive-by double murder last Wednesday in an unincorporated area of South Los Angeles.

Jonathan Charles Johnson, a 26-year-old Lancaster resident, has been charged with four felonies. He remains in custody with bail set at $2 million and arraignment set for Wednesday afternoon.

On Wednesday, August 14, just after 7 p.m., deputies from the Century Sheriff’s Station had responded to a call of gunshot victims on the 1100 block of East 68th Street in the Florence-Firestone District of South Los Angeles.

Upon arrival, deputies discovered two men suffering from gunshot wounds. One man was pronounced dead at the scene. The second was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. A third male victim, suffering from a gunshot wound, was taken to a local hospital where he was treated and released.

Homicide investigators identified the two men killed as Jose Flores Velazquez, 24 years old, of Los Angeles, and Alfredo Carrera, 24 years old, also of Los Angeles. The third, surviving, victim’s identity is not being released by authorities at this time.

Investigators learned that the two deceased victims were standing outside a parked car along the residential street when the suspect’s vehicle drove up and a passenger opened fire, striking both men. The suspect shot the third victim a short distance away as the vehicle sped away westbound on East 68th Street.

The suspect vehicle was described as a dark-colored sedan. There was no suspect description available and the murder weapon remained outstanding as of August 14.

Two days later, on Friday, August 16, at approximately 8:30 a.m., Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station patrol deputies located a 2004 blue Nissan Maxima near the corner of Via Princessa and Sierra Highway in Canyon Country.

A license plate check revealed the vehicle was wanted as the vehicle allegedly used in the August 14 double murder.

SCV deputies conducted a traffic stop and arrested Johnson, who was then driving the car. A 25-year-old female passenger was detained along with Johnson but was later released without being charged.

The case was presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Hardcore Gang Division, Metropolitan Court, on Tuesday morning. Johnson was charged with two counts of murder (187(a) PC), one count of attempted murder (664/187(a) PC) and one count of Discharging a Firearm From a Motor Vehicle at another person (26100 (d) PC).

Johnson is scheduled to be arraigned at Metropolitan Courthouse Wednesday afternoon.

The firearm used in the murders is still outstanding and the investigation is ongoing.