Police continue search for suspected murderer

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Albuquerque Police say they are continuing to search for the suspect tied to the fatal beating of a man near a Northeast Albuquerque restaurant on Monday night. 

The restaurant is back open and people are coming in asking questions about last night's altercation.

Detectives say some sort of fight happened between a man and another person at the Subway near Menaul and Princeton before 6 p.m.

Investigators think Rayono Smith involved was buying food here but they have no idea what started the fight.

They do believe that the altercation continued down the road to Princeton and Claremont. That is where a 911 call came in at about a man found in the street.

Officers were sent to the area and found Smith in bad shape who was then rushed him to the hospital.

Smith later died from his injuries at UNM Hospital.

"We felt that because of the extreme injuries that it's going to be investigated as a homicide until otherwise," says Albuquerque Police spokesperson Officer Robert Gibbs.

Meanwhile, police say they are looking for a vehicle.

"Now we do know that there may be a vehicle that was involved in this altercation and we're currently looking, and its very minimal information as I stated, a navy blue or blue Dodge pick-up with dual rear wheels,” Officer Gibbs said.

There was no license plate given on the vehicle.

No word if police have located that pick-up or the driver.

The cause of death is not being released right now.