Man murdered near Manchester Shopping Center, Fresno police say

Police found a 66-year-old mortally injured with a neck wound Thursday morning near the Manchester Shopping Center in central Fresno.

Officers responded to a call of a subject down at the intersection of Blackstone and East Cornell avenues at 2:20 a.m. They found Kenton Haggard, of Fresno, with a neck wound, the cause of which was not immediately determined. Paramedics took Haggard to Community Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Police are treating the incident as a homicide.

Police initially referred to Haggard as a man, and on Friday continued to say that was how they would be referring to the victim. But transgender activists both locally and nationally criticized Fresno police, saying Haggard was a transgender woman.

Fresno police Lt. Joe Gomez said investigators did not have evidence of Haggard being transgender, nor did the killing appear to be a hate crime.

Authorities are asking for the public’s assistance in locating the suspects’ vehicle. It was described as a light-colored Saturn SUV with a moon roof and unidentified markings on the front passenger-side door.

Anyone with information regarding this homicide is asked to call Fresno police homicide detective Alfonso Castillo at (559) 621-2449 or Leonard Cabrera at (559) 621-2451. Citizens can also provide information anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-STOP.

This story was originally published July 23, 2015 at 4:34 PM with the headline "Man murdered near Manchester Shopping Center, Fresno police say."