Sketches released of pair wanted in British tourist slaying in SF

Police on Monday released these sketches of suspects wanted in the murder of a British tourist. Police on Monday released these sketches of suspects wanted in the murder of a British tourist. Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Sketches released of pair wanted in British tourist slaying in SF 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

San Francisco police investigators Monday released sketches of a man and woman wanted in the “brutal murder” of a 48-year-old British tourist, who was stabbed in the head during a street mugging and died after a weeks-long battle for his life.

Officials are hoping the artistic renderings of the pair, along with surveillance video released last month, will lead to their capture. The male suspect wielding a sharp weapon attacked the tourist, Paul Tam, on Feb. 18 when he refused to give up his green messenger bag, police said.

Tam had been walking with his niece, who was visiting from Southern California, on the 1300 block of Post Street near Franklin Street when the altercation occurred about 8:30 p.m. The niece was not injured during the encounter.

A security video showed Tam resisting the attacker and running into the street in front of a car. The male attacker chased Tam and stabbed him in the head as he fell to the ground, then took his messenger bag and ran off, the footage shows.

Tam died at San Francisco General Hospital on March 24.

Police urged anyone with information on the killer and his accomplice to call homicide investigators at (415) 553-1145 during business hours. Anonymous tips can be left at anytime at (415) 575-4444 or texted to TIP411.

Kimberly Veklerov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kveklerov