Campaign Star Turns Up In Triple Killing

Prosecutors say a onetime political hopeful executed three men in a Hollywood apartment, turning a campaign bio into a grim test of public safety and trust.

Story Snapshot

Los Angeles County prosecutors charged Patrick Kevin Spurlock with three counts of murder.
Police say the victims were ordered to the floor and shot multiple times during a dispute.
The District Attorney says Spurlock is a convicted felon and alleges firearm use and prior strikes.
Officials stress the charges are allegations and Spurlock is presumed innocent.

Prosecutors File Triple-Murder Charges In Hollywood Case

Los Angeles County prosecutors charged Patrick Kevin Spurlock with three counts of murder tied to a July 24, 2026 shooting at a Hollywood apartment. The filing, recorded as case 26CJCF05140, follows a police investigation into the deaths of Jeremiah Badeker, Jack Cartegena, and Michael Bogacz. The District Attorney’s media release identifies Spurlock and outlines special allegations, including firearm use and prior serious or violent felony convictions. Prosecutors say the evidence supports the charges, which now move into the court process.

The Los Angeles Police Department said detectives arrested Spurlock near Franklin Avenue in mid-August. Police accounts reported that the shooter ordered the men to lie on the floor and then fired multiple rounds at close range. Reporting describes an argument before the gunfire. Those details help explain the murder counts and the firearm allegation added by prosecutors. Authorities have not released a full evidence list and say more will come out in court filings and hearings.

What Authorities Say Happened Inside The Apartment

Police say the attack began as a dispute and ended with three men shot on the floor. The key claim is control with a gun, followed by multiple shots into each victim. That allegation supports a theory of intent and lethal force. The District Attorney’s office linked the timeline to the early hours of July 24. The arrest location, a short distance from the crime scene, was disclosed by media citing police. These points anchor the state’s narrative heading into arraignment and beyond.

The District Attorney’s statement also calls Spurlock a convicted felon and adds sentence-enhancing claims tied to prior serious or violent felonies. Those enhancements, if proven, could raise the potential sentence if there is a conviction. Prosecutors often file enhancements early to set stakes and preserve options at trial or in talks. Defense counsel can later challenge the legal and factual bases for each allegation through motions and cross-examination at hearings and trial.

Due Process, Media Heat, And The Early Record

The District Attorney’s release closes with a standard reminder: these are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. That matters now because the public record is still thin and shaped by official summaries. Studies of high-profile cases show early stories can lean hard on police and prosecutor framing before full evidence is tested in court. That pattern can steer opinion long before jurors see vetted proof, so caution is wise while the case develops.

Next steps include arraignment, discovery, and likely a preliminary hearing where a judge decides if there is probable cause to proceed. At that hearing, the bar is lower than “beyond a reasonable doubt.” The state needs to show enough evidence for each element of murder to hold the case over for trial. Defense can probe weaknesses, raise legal challenges, and later file motions if the evidence or procedure falls short of the law’s requirements.