A San Francisco transient with a history of violence is in custody for an alleged assault inside a Tenderloin fast-food restaurant early Saturday in which the victim later died, police said.
Matthew Adams, 38, of San Francisco, was found dead Saturday night inside his apartment in the 1100 block of Market Street, just doors down from the Carl’s Jr. where he was assaulted several hours earlier, homicide Lt. Mike Stasko said.
Investigators are awaiting a ruling by the medical examiner’s office before classifying the death as a homicide, Stasko said.
Stasko said Adams and his girlfriend were sitting inside the restaurant at about 1:30 a.m. Saturday when the suspect, Edward Holloway, 54, began screaming at him for no apparent reason.
Holloway had been aggressive toward other customers, and when he confronted Adams, Adams tried to stand up and Holloway allegedly hit him in the head with a boom box he was carrying, Stasko said.
“He was knocked out like a light,” Stasko said.
When Adams regained consciousness, he refused medical treatment, but when his girlfriend went to check on him that night in his apartment, she found him dead, Stasko said.
Police arrested Holloway Sunday night in the 1200 block of Market Street. He was booked on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and battery causing serious bodily injury.
Stasko said Holloway has been arrested previously for violent crimes and had outstanding warrants for selling items on Market Street without a permit.
