South Whittier

Sheriff’s investigators are seeking help in the Nov. 3 murder of a 79-year-old man. The victim, Earl Rees, is believed to have picked up his murderer, who was hitchhiking in Oklahoma, and driven the killer to the victim’s residence in South Whittier. The hitchhiker is described as a white male, 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-10, 160 pounds and light brown hair, sometimes worn in a ponytail down to the middle of his back. He has a deeply pockmarked face, long sideburns and may speak with a slight Southern accent. He was last seen wearing a light blue pullover shirt, dirty jeans and blue and white athletic shoes.

A person matching this description was seen Nov. 6 in Bellflower, Cerritos, Norwalk and Downey soliciting money for a Catholic church after apparently stealing collection envelopes.

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s homicide bureau at 974-4341.