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By John C. Ensslin
News Staff Writer
A third suspect in the beating death of a homeless man has been arrested in San Francisco.
Nathan Wayne Harrison is being held on a warrant charging him with taking part in two September attacks that left two other homeless men badly beaten.
He was the lone fugitive in a group of seven young people whom police have linked to a series of beatings that left five men dead and terrorized Denver's homeless community.
Harrison, 20, had been arrested in the upper Haight Ashbury section of San Francisco on Oct. 27 on charges of possession of marijuana and narcotics paraphernalia, said San Francisco police spokesman Jim Deignan.
Denver detectives interviewed him there Monday.
After the interview, police concluded that they have enough probable cause to hold Harrison on investigation of first-degree murder in the beating death of Melvin Washington, said Denver police spokewoman Virginia Lopez.
Washington, 47, died Sept. 15 after being attacked by several young men Sept. 8 near 18th and Arapahoe streets.
In addition to Harrison, police have named Thomas Holden, 18, and an unidentified 16-year-old as suspects in Washington's death.
Police have not named suspects in the other deaths.
Sgt. Jon Priest said homicide investigators presented their case against the trio to the district attorney's office Tuesday.
The trio was among a larger group of seven suspects who have been charged in non-fatal assaults on two other homeless men.
The six other suspects appeared in court Tuesday to be advised of charges of attempted murder and assault in the beatings of street musician George Burdge and Thomas Hollis.
Investigators believe the murder and the two assaults on homeless men were committed by a loosely knit group of homeless teens - dubbed ``mall rats'' by police.
Holden sat with his face buried in his manacled hands while he and five others were advised of the charges against them.
On Sept. 25, Burdge was lured with the promise of food to Confluence Park where he was beaten unconscious and tossed into the South Platte River.
The next day, Hollis was attacked while he was sleeping on a downtown steam grate.
Also advised of charges in the two assaults were Alexander Taapken, 21, Michael Nelson, 19, Michael Leathers, 19; Octavia Montoya, 18, and Kevin Himebaugh, 17.
November 10, 1999
