ANTIOCH — A 43-year-old man was apparently beaten to death Wednesday night and a suspect was later arrested, police said.
Police have not yet released the names of either man but police Sgt. James Stenger said they were both homeless residents who frequent Antioch. The two men did know each other, Stenger said, but police don’t know how well they were acquainted.
In a news release, police said that at about 7:13 p.m. Wednesday officers were dispatched to the canal between Lemontree and Manzanita Ways for a 43-year-old man down on the ground. The man had no pulse and was not breathing.
Officers attempted life saving measures, but the man was ultimately pronounced deceased at the scene.
Detectives later determined the victim and a 30-year-old man were involved in an argument and during the altercation the suspect struck the victim in the head and rendered him unconscious.
“It’s not super clear what happened, but it sounds like it was a punch,” Stenger said by phone Thursday. “He was laying on his back when we got there and didn’t have a pulse.”
Contra Costa County Coroner’s deputies were scheduled to do an autopsy Thursday afternoon that Stenger said would reveal more. Police were awaiting those results before presenting the case to the District Attorney’s Office, Stenger said.
The suspect fled the area and did not seek medical attention for the victim. The victim was discovered about 20 minutes after the assault and had already died.
The suspect was arrested on suspicion of murder and was booked into the County Jail in Martinez with bail set at $1,000,000.
Investigators are still seeking information and urged anyone who may have seen or heard anything to call Det. John Cox at at 925-779-6866 or Det. Casey Brogdon at 925-779-6895. They also can be emailed at jcox@antiochca.gov. or cbrogdon@antiochca.gov. Anonymous texts can be sent to 274637 with the key word ANTIOCH.
Check back for updates.