The roommate of a man found dead in a Gwinnett County apartment last Friday is now facing charges in his death, officials announced Thursday.
Police are still searching for Heraclio Solis-Ortiz, 56, who has warrants out for his arrest on charges of felony murder and aggravated assault, Gwinnett police said in a statement.
Solis-Ortiz was formerly just a person of interest in the case. He was also wanted for a probation violation unrelated to the homicide investigation.
Authorities said he was a roommate of Geremias Barrios Diaz, 52, who was found dead by a third roommate Friday in the kitchen of their apartment in the 1300 block of Graves Road near Norcross.
According to an incident report from Gwinnett police, an officer responded to a person down call at the apartment Friday afternoon and found the victim lying on the kitchen floor with a food pan and spilled food. The officer could not find a pulse and called the homicide investigation team.
There were signs of blunt force trauma, Gwinnett police Officer Jacob Albright said after an initial investigation.
Soliz-Ortiz only speaks Spanish and is described as about 5 feet, 7 inches tall, weighing 180 pounds with a muscular build.
“(He) is not known to drive a vehicle, so there is a possibility that he is still in the Norcross area,” police said in a previous statement.
Anyone with knowledge of Soliz-Ortiz's whereabouts is asked to call police at 770-513-5300. Tipsters can remain anonymous, and be eligible for rewards of up to $2,000, by contacting Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-8477, texting information to 274637 or visiting the Crime Stoppers website.
About the Author
