Group robs, kills young man over smartphone in SF

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- There's shock and grief in a quiet San Francisco neighborhood after a group robbed and killed a young man over a smartphone. The victim died just after midnight on Monday at Henry and Noe streets.

Police do need help from the public to help find the suspects. About 60 percent of all robberies in San Francisco involve cellphones, but rarely do those robberies end up deadly.

Homicide inspectors and patrol officers combed the neighborhood on Monday, looking for more evidence that could lead to arrests. Numerous homes on this street have security cameras, which could identify the killers.

Michael Marquez was shot to death shortly after midnight on Henry Street in the Duboce Triangle area of the city.

"He was with his girlfriend and a group of people in West Portal, they just had pizza," said the victim's friend, Maria Twyman. "And he dropped his girlfriend off and was on his way home to my house."

Marquez had been staying with Maria's family. But he never made it back.

As he and two friends walked down Henry Street, five people jumped out of a car and robbed them at gunpoint. They shot Marquez, then took his smartphone and backpack.

As word of the deadly robbery got out in the quiet tree lined street, neighbors responded with alarm

"Shocking," said resident John Pence. "I mean, really this has always been a very peaceful neighborhood."

Maria and Marquez's close friends mourned his death in disbelief at the spot where he died.

"Just us hanging out just a few days ago in my room, just talking," said the victim's friend, Lawrence Neuman. "I never thought this would happen."

"I remember him as my brother, my best friend," Jairo Rivera said.

They remembered their friend as a caring, giving person. Marquez worked at a restaurant where he displayed that part of his character.

"When they closed, instead of throwing away the food, Mike would bag it up and give it to some of the homeless people around," said the victim's friend, Timothy Twyman.

Maria says Marquez had one thing in his backpack that hopefully will make his killers think long and hard about what they did.

Maria: "He carried it around with him in that backpack."

Vic: "The Bible?"

Maria: "The Bible, yes, that was in there. That Bible."