Skip to Content
Homelessness

Darrell Fields, Beloved Guitarist Living in Skid Row, Burned to Death While Inside His Tent

12:06 PM PDT on August 29, 2019

Homeless in Skid Row. (Photo by by Philip Iglauer/LA Taco archive)

[dropcap size=big]O[/dropcap]n Monday night, long-term Skid Row resident and artist Darrell Fields was burned to death near the intersection of 6th and San Pedro streets, according to the Los Angeles Times. It is the latest in a recent uptick of attacks on unhoused Angelenos in the area. He was 62, confirmed by his wife Valerie. Alongside Valerie, Fields is survived by his three sisters and his tight-knit community in Skid Row. 

Authorities report that suspect Jonathan Early was arrested near where Fields was gruesomely killed shortly after officers responded to the scene. He is currently being held on suspicion of murder. The case was set to be presented to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office today. 

Fields was also known as “Hendrix” by his closest friends. Before moving to Skid Row, he had played with The Isley Brothers and Sly and the Family Stone. He had even formed a rock cover band called The Purple Haze Experience. 

“If you closed your eyes—no kidding—he plays the guitar just as well as Jimi Hendrix,” said Pete White, Executive Director and Founder of Los Angeles Community Action Network (LA CAN). White had gotten close to Fields after he joined LA CAN to help grow the group’s arts and culture program. 

The elegance of purple as the Skid Row community celebrates the life of Darrell “Jimi Hendrix” Fields. pic.twitter.com/RMy6Zy9RrK

— LA CAN (@LACANetwork) August 29, 2019

Skid Row, currently home for 2,783 unsheltered people, has seen varying acts of violence within the past month. Just last week, four people were wounded in a shooting in San Julian Park after a man and a woman got into an altercation with someone in the park. Earlier this month, a 59-year-old Gustavo Zeledon was struck to death with a pipe and robbed in the 800 block of 5th Street. He had later died as a result of his injuries.

'We want to say to folks that we understand the pressures of poverty, we understand the violence...but we can never allow it to turn us against one another in any way.'

LA CAN organized a vigil and procession last night, August 28, 2019, at 6 PM for Fields. The community gathered at 838 E. 6th Street and walked towards Fields’ home to celebrate his life and also find healing in the recent series of attacks in Skid Row. 

“This violence is misplaced in Skid Row. There is something in the air right now that we are hoping to disrupt this evening,” White told L.A. Taco. “We want to say to folks that we understand the pressures of poverty, we understand the violence...but we can never allow it to turn us against one another in any way.”

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from L.A. TACO

The Seven Best Tacos Across the J Line (Formerly Known as The Silver Line), From La Puente to Gardena

From calamari tacos to Oaxacan-style braised goat on handmade freshly nixtamalized corn tortillas and Mexicali-style "cooler burritos," this may be the best Metro bus line to take for tacos in the county.

March 28, 2024

L.A. Spent Over $1.73 Million on These Controversial ‘Anti-Homeless’ Signs. Do They Actually Work?

Earlier this month, a leaked memo from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) suggested that these 41.18 zones rarely led to unhoused people being moved into interim shelter or permanent housing. After being cleared, most 41.18 zones quickly became repopulated.

March 27, 2024

Two New Lowrider-Inspired and Dodger-Blue L.A. TACO Hats Are Now Available!

Wear your L.A. TACO swag and support our inclusive, street-level community journalism!

March 27, 2024

A Morning-Only Taco Pop-Up in Northridge Is Making the Biggest Breakfast Burritos in the San Fernando Valley

What does it take to stand out in Los Angeles's saturated taco climate? Focus on San Fernando Valley-style loaded breakfast tacos, "breakfast quesadillas" with crispy cheese skirts, and the beefiest breakfast burritos Balboa Boulevard has ever seen.

March 26, 2024

The Second Round of TACO MADNESS 2024 Is Now Open for Voting! Meet ‘L.A.’s Sweet 16’ That Advanced

Save the date! Our 15th annual taco tournament is taking place on April 13th at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes near Olvera Street. Pre-sale tickets are now available. Our online tournament starts on Monday. Check out this year's contenders!

March 26, 2024
See all posts