Murder Mystery Unravels in Hercules

 An elderly man who was found dead in his home in Hercules on  Saturday appears to have been beaten to death, Hercules police spokeswoman  Michelle Harrington said today.
     Ricardo Sales, 73, was found dead in his bed Saturday afternoon  after a housemate reported him and his son, 35-year-old Frederick Sales,  missing.
     Officers went to his house in the 1100 block of Crepe Myrtle Drive  and found the elder man dead in the master bedroom. His body was marked with  puncture wounds and there were signs that a violent struggle had taken place  in the room, Harrington said.
     Police were still looking for Frederick Sales today and are  concerned for his safety, since he hasn't been seen or heard from since at  least Saturday, Harrington said.
     Investigators are also continuing to search for someone they have  identified as a "person of interest" in the homicide. That person is not  Frederick Sales, Harrington said.
     At least four people lived at the house, including Ricardo Sales  and his son, Harrington said.
     Although police were not releasing information about a possible  motive for the killing, Harrington said investigators do not believe it was  random.
     Ricardo Sales' death is the first homicide the city has had since  Dec. 3, 2009.
     Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Detective  Abetkov at (510) 724-1111.