An Australian tourist in San Francisco who was beaten to death has been identified, and a man from Southern California has been arrested on suspicion of murder, police said Monday.

Australian citizen Mathew Bate, 33, got into an argument with two men in the 2500 block of Van Ness Avenue about 2:15 a.m. Friday that ended with Bate on the ground unconscious with severe head trauma, police said.

Paramedics rushed Bate to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead, while police entered a nearby hotel to investigate.

Officers detained two men they found inside and ultimately arrested one of them: David Murillo, 34, of Hesperia, police said in a statement Monday.


Jail records show Murillo was booked on suspicion of murder Friday morning and is being held without bail. His initial court date has not been scheduled.

Bate’s family released a statement to the media, the Guardian reported:

“He had such a warm and kind soul and was a wonderful son, brother, uncle and friend,” the statement said.

joseph.serna@latimes.com


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