Medical authorities determined that 47-year-old Richard Sprague was strangled to death as he walked through the Mission District to buy a pack of cigarettes.
And while we now know how Sprague died, police still do not know who robbed and murdered him in the early-morning hours on Feb. 19. His mysterious and sad death hit a nerve in the Mission District after neighbors reported hearing -- and ignoring -- Sprague's cries for help on Julian Avenue, shortly after 2 a.m.
"We hope forensics can help us identify a suspect, but it takes forever," Officer Albie Esparza told us.
Last week, police arrested 42-year-old Roland Pouncy after he was found with Sprague's debit card in his possession. However, Pouncy was only arrested on suspicion of stolen property, and has not been named as a suspect in Sprague's death.
The Examiner talked to Sprague's partner, David Nielsen, who said the couple had just returned from a party that night when Sprague left the house to go buy some smokes, and never returned.
The next morning, pedestrians walked around Sprague's body, until police arrived five hours after he was robbed and killed.
