Man serving life sentence for murder admits to three other cold case killings in California, police say

An Avenal State Prison inmate already serving multiple life sentences at a Long Beach, California, prison for murder and attempted murder was recently arrested after reportedly confessing to three additional cold-case killings.

Glenn Cox, 39, of Compton, was arrested on October 17 for three additional murders, three counts of attempted murder, and two firearm charges after allegedly confessing to gang-related cases from 2004 to 2007.

“This arrest brings closure to the families of the victims in each of these cold cases,” the Long Beach Police Department said Friday in a news release.

Cox has been incarcerated since January 2008 for the murder of Jonathan Fernandez, a California Highway Patrol officer’s son, during a New Year’s party.

In December 2023, Cox confessed to multiple murders and an attempted murder to prison staff, prompting Long Beach detectives to obtain further confessions and corroborating evidence linking him to three cold-case incidents.

The incidents linked to Cox’s confessions include a shooting on East Pleasant Street that killed Carlos Serrano, 22, and Jermy Kershaw, 23, of Long Beach, and injured two others.

Cox was also allegedly involved in the February 16, 2007, shooting on Cherry Avenue that killed 31-year-old Long Beach resident Dino Marks, as well as shooting a man who was riding a bike on East Pacific Coast Highway, but survived, on August 26, 2007.

These cases have since been forwarded to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for review and possible prosecution.