Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department.
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A search was focused outside California today for a couple wanted in connection with the death of a woman in northern Los Angeles County, as detectives try to determine the motive for her slaying and the subsequent kidnapping of her children.
The mother-of-three and her young children were transitory, moving from motel to motel and depended on panhandling to survive, cops said. “She don’t know him, anything about his background”, said Bobby Humphrey, Kimberly Harvill and Brittany Humphrey’s father.
Detectives say the children should be back in California shortly, but the process of figuring out who will care for the children could take much longer.
Authorities initially said Harvill’s three children – Joslynn Watkins, 2; Brayden Watkins, 3; and Rylee Watkins, 5 – were found in Albuquerque. She later filed a report of a missing person at risk, Mendoza said.
Los Angeles Lt. Joe Mendoza called Robertson and Humphrey fleeing the state “suspicious.” .
Officers were conducting an unrelated investigation at a local motel when they contacted kidnapping suspect Brittany Humphrey and the missing 1 and a half year-old Madisyn Harper.
Harvill’s body was discovered by a motorist who had stopped at Gorman Post Road near Lebec, California, on August 14.
Warrants had been issued Wednesday by the Los Angeles County District Attorney for the arrest of Joshua Robertson and Brittany Humphrey for kidnapping Harvill’s children following her death, according to a news release written and issued by LASD Deputy Crystal Hernandez.
“Humphrey and Robertson ‘are still on the run and believed to be eastbound from Albuquerque toward neighboring states”, Alexander said.
“We really do need to find a few more pieces to the puzzle to get a better idea of events and how they transpired”, Katz said.
Mendoza said investigators know of no ongoing conflict between the sisters.
Legal analyst Charles Magill says the couple could face some 55 years to life, if convicted on kidnapping and murder charges.
The alleged killers and Harvill were all involved with methamphetamine, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Capt. Steve Katz.
No other details were immediately available. Although Robertson was described as armed and unsafe due to a previous firearms arrest, neither suspect had a weapon and both were arrested without incident.
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The father of Harvill’s children, Kenneth Chad Watkins, killed himself by lying in front of a train previous year, according to the Fresno County Coroner.
