Authorities are warning the public that a Washington State murder suspect previously convicted in a machete attack may be in Southern California after finding his vehicle and seeing him on surveillance video in the city of Calabasas.
Alexander Lee Rogers, 51, is wanted in connection with the Aug. 5 killing of 64-year-old Dawn Peters and the attempted murder of 73-year-old Andrew Peters in Longview, the Longview Police Department posted on its Facebook page on Aug. 6. Andrew Peters has since recovered and been released from the hospital.
A motive for the attack remains under investigation, but Longview Police Department Captain Branden McNew told KTLA in an interview that Rogers had an old family connection with the victims.
“There were several adults living in the home related in one way or another … and he had an old family connection through maybe his father to the family,” McNew said.
Rogers was apparently working as a handyman for the family, but “as far as we can tell, this was an unprovoked attack,” McNew said.
On Monday, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department announced that a partially spray-painted black BMW belonging to Rogers was found abandoned on the 23000 block of Calabasas Road.
Alexander Lee Rogers is seen in an image provided by the Longview Police Department. 
Alexander Lee Rogers is seen in an image provided by the Longview Police Department. 
Alexander Lee Rogers is seen in an image provided by the Longview Police Department. 
Alexander Lee Rogers is seen in an image provided by the Longview Police Department. 
Alexander Lee Rogers is seen in an image provided by the Longview Police Department.
Authorities have obtained surveillance video showing Rogers in the area before and after his vehicle was found. “We do have video of him in restaurants, WalMarts, a tire shop … so he was in the area for a while,” McNew said. “But at this point, he could be anywhere.”
Rogers’ means are limited with his vehicle now gone, but he has stolen cars in the past, and McNew said he would not put it past him to steal or commit violence again.
Rogers was described as a White man standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing about 190 pounds.
The Longview Police Department released previous booking photos along with still images recorded via bodycam during an unrelated incident in a Fred Meyer parking lot on the morning of Aug. 5.
The police contact with Rogers on the morning of the murder was over a vehicle licensing issue. Rogers was asked to correct the issue and was released. “So, not related to what would happen two hours later … where two people had been stabbed,” McNew said.
Rogers was convicted in the early 2000s in a machete attack on two people in a home and charged with attempted murder, McNew said. Rogers was found guilty of first-degree assault and spent 20 years in prison. He was released about 10 months ago.
Rogers is considered armed and dangerous. “If you see the suspect, call 9-1-1, do not approach or attempt to contact the suspect,” the Sheriff’s Department stated.
