Atlanta Man Beat Sleeping Homeless Person To Death, Police Say

An Atlanta man is being accused of beating a 59-year-old homeless man to death while he slept.

Police arrested 21-year-old Michael Johnson Monday and charged him with murder after police say he violently attacked 59-year-old Moses Cooper last week causing significant trauma.

"Moses Cooper was homeless and appeared to have been assaulted while he was sleeping," the Atlanta Police Department said in a statement. "Mr. Cooper sustained a significant head injury and died at the scene."

The arrest came after police released surveillance footage last week showing two persons of interest in the crime. In the video, two men can be seen standing together and talking before walking off together across the street.

Police said both people in the video were known to frequent the Midtown area and may also be homeless.

Cooper's body was found around 2 a.m. on Sept. 5 near the area of the video footage by someone walking by, according to CBS46 News. Police, who had been responding to a 911 call, were then notified of the body.

Bloody footprints were also found at the scene.

No motive has been released in the case. Johnson is being held at the Fulton County Jail.

Police are still trying to identify the second man in the surveillance footage and are encouraging anyone with information to contact police, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported.

Cooper's family said they had been trying to get him off the streets for years when the beating occurred.

"It's not fair. It's hard," family member Nina L. Scott, reportedly told WSB-TV news.

[Photo: City of Atlanta Police Department]