Police release video, images of person of interest in ‘brutal homicide’ of homeless man

Killing of homeless man

Grand Rapids police are trying to identify this person captured on surveillance cameras near the scene where Santino “Taco” Ysasi, 46, was killed in October. (Provided by Grand Rapids Police Department)

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Police hope surveillance video and photos will help identify a person of interest who was in the area where a homeless man was killed.

Grand Rapids police released video and still images of the last person seen near Santino “Taco” Ysasi, 46, who was killed Oct. 19 while sleeping near an abandoned building in the 700 block of Bridge Street NW.

Investigators hope that someone recognizes the person of interest’s walking style, clothing or backpack, police Capt. Chad McKersie said Wednesday, Feb. 8, in a press conference at police headquarters.

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The victim’s body was found around 9:45 a.m. He had been sleeping on a mattress in an alcove when he was killed.

McKersie said that the video and photos, taken around 3:30 a.m., could “jog someone’s memory” if they know the person of interest. The video released by police was taken by a private security camera and does not show the killing.

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It showed someone walking by the area where the victim was killed, going out of camera view, then returning 20 second later. It is unknown if the victim knew the killer.

The killing happened in an area frequented by those who are homeless, the police captain said.

Major Case detectives have spent 1,000 hours investigating the killing, and reviewed hundreds of hours of surveillance video throughout the area. Police were unable to find other videos showing the person who was at the scene of the killing.

Investigators released the video and photos after exhausting all leads.

Police have not revealed how Ysasi was killed but McKersie called the slaying a “brutal homicide.”

He said police want to “provide justice for Santino and his family.”

Silent Observer has offered a $3,200 reward for information that leads to an arrest.

Police asked anyone with information in the slaying to contact investigators at 616- 456-3380 or anonymously to Silent Observer at 616-774-2345 or www.silentobserver.org

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