The July 11 robberies occurred within five hours in San Bernardino, Orange and Riverside counties, setting off an intensive manhunt that resulted in the arrests of the two men in Los Angeles on Friday. Authorities say Jason Payne, 44, was Patt's neighbor and accomplice but was not involved in the killings.
Both men are being held in jail and are expected to be arraigned Tuesday. It was not immediately clear whether they had attorneys who could speak on their behalf.
Police originally believed the spate of robberies at the convenience stories on July 11, or 7/11, might be linked to the day when the national 7-Eleven brand celebrates its anniversary. It was the chain's 95th year, and stores gave out free Slurpee drinks.
But Spitzer on Monday said that while investigators are still looking into the potential nexus, “it appears it might be random and coincidental.”
Matthew Hirsch, a 40-year-old clerk, was shot and killed at the Brea store, and Matthew Rule, 24, was shot and killed in the parking lot of the Santa Ana store while trying to intervene in the robbery of someone else. The identify of the homeless man who was slain in Los Angeles has not been made public.
Detectives also believe Patt may be connected to other crimes, including robberies in the San Fernando Valley.
This booking photo released by the Santa Ana Police Department shows suspect Jason Payne, 44, of Los Angeles, on Friday, July 15, 2022. Authorities said Saturday, July 16 that Payne and Malik Patt were arrested Friday in connection with a series of deadly robberies at Southern California 7-Eleven stores. (Santa Ana Police Department via AP)
Credit: Uncredited
This booking photo released by the Santa Ana Police Department shows suspect Jason Payne, 44, of Los Angeles, on Friday, July 15, 2022. Authorities said Saturday, July 16 that Payne and Malik Patt were arrested Friday in connection with a series of deadly robberies at Southern California 7-Eleven stores. (Santa Ana Police Department via AP)
Credit: Uncredited
Credit: Uncredited
FILE - Authorities remove a body from a 7-Eleven after a clerk was fatally shot, Monday, July 11, 2022, during a robbery in Brea, Calif. Authorities said Friday, July 15, 2022, that a suspect has been arrested in a series of deadly robberies at Southern California 7-Eleven convenience stores. (Mindy Schauer/The Orange County Register via AP, File)
Credit: Mindy Schauer
FILE - Authorities remove a body from a 7-Eleven after a clerk was fatally shot, Monday, July 11, 2022, during a robbery in Brea, Calif. Authorities said Friday, July 15, 2022, that a suspect has been arrested in a series of deadly robberies at Southern California 7-Eleven convenience stores. (Mindy Schauer/The Orange County Register via AP, File)
Credit: Mindy Schauer
Credit: Mindy Schauer
FILE - Flowers, candles and cards have been left at the parking lot of the 7-Eleven store on W. Lambert Road in Brea, Calif., Thursday, July 14, 2022. Authorities said Friday, July 15, 2022, that a suspect has been arrested in a series of deadly robberies at Southern California 7-Eleven convenience stores. (Paul Bersebach/The Orange County Register via AP, File)
Credit: Paul Bersebach
FILE - Flowers, candles and cards have been left at the parking lot of the 7-Eleven store on W. Lambert Road in Brea, Calif., Thursday, July 14, 2022. Authorities said Friday, July 15, 2022, that a suspect has been arrested in a series of deadly robberies at Southern California 7-Eleven convenience stores. (Paul Bersebach/The Orange County Register via AP, File)
Credit: Paul Bersebach
Credit: Paul Bersebach
Flowers, candles and cards have been left at the parking lot of the 7-Eleven store on W. Lambert Rd. in Brea, Calif. on Thursday, July 14, 2022. Store clerk Matt Hirsch was shot and killed during a robbery on July 11th, part of a string of robberies in Orange County and Riverside. (Paul Bersebach/The Orange County Register via AP)
Credit: Paul Bersebach
Flowers, candles and cards have been left at the parking lot of the 7-Eleven store on W. Lambert Rd. in Brea, Calif. on Thursday, July 14, 2022. Store clerk Matt Hirsch was shot and killed during a robbery on July 11th, part of a string of robberies in Orange County and Riverside. (Paul Bersebach/The Orange County Register via AP)
Credit: Paul Bersebach
Credit: Paul Bersebach
Ivan Gachupin and Gabi Martinez visit a memorial for Matt Hirsch in the parking lot of the 7-Eleven store on W. Lambert Rd. in Brea, Calif on Thursday, July 14, 2022. Hirsch was shot and killed during a robbery on July 11th, part of a string of robberies in Orange County and Riverside. (Paul Bersebach/The Orange County Register via AP)
Credit: Paul Bersebach
Ivan Gachupin and Gabi Martinez visit a memorial for Matt Hirsch in the parking lot of the 7-Eleven store on W. Lambert Rd. in Brea, Calif on Thursday, July 14, 2022. Hirsch was shot and killed during a robbery on July 11th, part of a string of robberies in Orange County and Riverside. (Paul Bersebach/The Orange County Register via AP)
Credit: Paul Bersebach
Credit: Paul Bersebach
FILE - This image from video released by the Brea Police Department shows a person that police are attempting to identify in connection with two people who were killed and three who were wounded in shootings at four 7-Eleven locations in Southern California, Monday, July 11, 2022. Authorities said Friday, July 15, 2022, that a suspect has been arrested in a series of deadly robberies at Southern California 7-Eleven convenience stores. (Brea Police Department via AP, File)
Credit: Uncredited
FILE - This image from video released by the Brea Police Department shows a person that police are attempting to identify in connection with two people who were killed and three who were wounded in shootings at four 7-Eleven locations in Southern California, Monday, July 11, 2022. Authorities said Friday, July 15, 2022, that a suspect has been arrested in a series of deadly robberies at Southern California 7-Eleven convenience stores. (Brea Police Department via AP, File)
Credit: Uncredited
Credit: Uncredited
This booking photo released by the Santa Ana Police Department shows suspect Malik Patt, 20, of Los Angeles, on Friday, July 15, 2022. Authorities said Saturday, July 16 that Patt and Jason Payne were arrested Friday in connection with a series of deadly robberies at Southern California 7-Eleven stores. (Santa Ana Police Department via AP)
Credit: Uncredited
This booking photo released by the Santa Ana Police Department shows suspect Malik Patt, 20, of Los Angeles, on Friday, July 15, 2022. Authorities said Saturday, July 16 that Patt and Jason Payne were arrested Friday in connection with a series of deadly robberies at Southern California 7-Eleven stores. (Santa Ana Police Department via AP)
Credit: Uncredited
Credit: Uncredited
