The body of a young man known as “El Chino” was discovered at 5:56 a.m. Monday in the doorway of the Prita Hotel, a single room occupancy hotel located at 2280 Mission St.
The victim, who had been stabbed to death, appeared to be about 22 years old, according to Karina Lopez, the receptionist. Another worker at the hotel said his name real name may have been Luis Miguel, but no one was certain. Everyone called him El Chino, he said.
Lopez said the victim was not a resident at the hotel but had friends who lived there. He mostly hung around outside, talking and drinking in front of the building. “We used to joke around,” she said.
She had never seen the victim involved in any fights and remembers him as a nice person. Neither she nor anyone else working at the hotel saw him get stabbed or knew how it happened.
The police are currently investigating but haven’t spoken with anyone at the hotel yet, she said. Lopez said that two investigators came by earlier today but didn’t ask any questions. They looked around the building.