Mississippi man extradited and charged with three 1977 Ventura County murders Wednesday

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. – On Wednesday, Warren Luther Alexander of Diamondhead, Mississippi, was charged with three Ventura County murders from 1977.

According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, the three counts of murder in the first degree were filed against Alexander who was extradited on Aug. 6, 2024, from Surry County, North Carolina where he was already awaiting prosecution for a 1992 murder.

The Ventura County victims included in the charges against Alexander are listed below:

• Kimberly Carol Fritz, 18, killed May 29, 1977 (Port Hueneme Police Department Case #77-3786)
• Velvet Ann Sanchez, 31, killed September 8, 1977 (Oxnard Police Department Case #77-15328)
• Lorraine Ann Rodriguez, 21, killed December 27, 1977 (Ventura County Sheriff's Office Case # 77-20537)

Alexander was partially arraigned the morning of Aug. 7, 2024, and his arraignment was continued to Aug. 21, 2024, explained the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

He remains in custody at the Ventura County Jail without bail shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

In February of 2023, the Ventura County Sheriff's Cold Case Unit began to re-examine the 1977 murders of Kimberly Carol Fritz, Velvet Ann Sanchez, and Lorraine Ann Rodriguez stated the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

Autopsies in all three cases showed the cause of death was strangulation and DNA evidence was collected from each crime scene shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

On Thursday, Aug. 8, the Ventura County District Attorney's Office will host a press conference on the charges filed against Alexander.