Sacramento County asking for help to identify man who died at shelter
Sacramento County officials are asking for the public’s help to identify a man who died in a homeless shelter in February.
The man experienced a cardiac arrest while he was staying at a homeless shelter on Bannon Street on Feb. 4, according to a county news release. He was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
He had told the shelter staff his name was Walter Hernandez Quinonez, but his fingerprints did not lead to a positive identification, the release said.
It’s unclear what shelter Quinonez was staying in.
The release said the shelter is on Bannon Street, but Kim Nava, a county spokesperson, said Coroner Rosa Vega is not releasing the name of the shelter because the investigation is ongoing. None of the large shelters run by the city or county are located on Bannon Street.
The man had been going to Loaves and Fishes, a nearby nonprofit, for meals and services, for about two years, where he was beloved, said George Kohrummel, staff member there.
“He was always polite and very quiet,” Kohrummel said. “He kept to himself most of the time. I am so sad to hear this news.”
So far this year there have been at least 84 homeless people who have died in Sacramento County, according to coroner data.
The man appeared to be Hispanic, between 50 and 60 years old, with shoulder-length hair, 151 pounds and 5 feet 8 inches tall, with no tattoos or scars, the release said.
The county generated the photo using a combination of AI, human-generated sketches, and real photographs.
Those who have any information to the identity of this person can contact the coroner’s office at 916-874-9320 or via email at DeputyCoroner@saccounty.gov.
