Homicide victim was awaiting trial on drug charges

Detectives are still searching for two men who were seen in the area at the time of the shooting, said Sgt. Ed Buns on Monday.

One suspect is described as a black male, 5-foot-10 with dreadlocks. He was last seen wearing a black long sleeved T-shirt and black jeans.

The second suspect is also described as a black male, 6-feet-tall with short hair. He was last seen wearing baggy jeans with boxers hanging out.

Police said the suspects may have left the area in a red or maroon Chevrolet Caprice or similar type vehicle.

According to detectives, police found Sales shot at about 7:40 p.m. Thursday in an apartment in the first block of Sirena Drive.

Sales was convicted and sentenced to prison for 12 months in June 2012 for possession of heroin and possesion of cocaine. He and two others were arrested by the sheriff’s office drug task force on October after an undercover sting operation. Sales was out on bond and awaiting trial in February for trafficking in heroin and two counts of possession of heroin.

According to his Facebook page, Sales attended Hamilton High School and was engaged to Clarissa Farthing.

Attorney David Washington was preparing to defend Sales on the latest charges.

“It is sad,” Washington said. He described Sales a soft spoken man who was respectful.

“He was not like some of my clients who you know are harden criminals,” Washington said.

A post Friday to Sales’ Facebook page from Farthing said “I know he is known and loved by many. We was gonna get married Jan. 16 … he didn’t feel no pain ..I was there, he was never in the hospital fighting, he was gone on scene, we never seen this coming.”

Buns said detectives have no indication if Sales’ death was drug related.

At least two people called police dispatch to report the shooting and gave some descriptions of the assailants. The dispatcher told them officers were en route and that they needed to stay in their apartments.

One woman said she heard the commotion and yelling and when she went outside, she said she saw a black male running out the door and that someone said that a person was shot and to call police.

“I’m shaking, I’m shaking and I’m scared,” she said.

A second woman told dispatch that she didn’t see anything but saw the car and heard the screaming. “He was shot dead across the hall,” she said.

However, both callers did not know the identity of the victim.