60-year-old man dead after he was assaulted, robbed in Canton, police say

BALTIMORE -- A 60-year-old man is dead after he was robbed and assaulted in Canton, the Baltimore Police Department said.

A priest at St. Casimir Church identified the victim as Victor Malabayabas, who was a parishioner there.  

Malabayabas was in the 600 block of S. Kenwood Avenue on Saturday about 5:40 p.m. when an unidentified man asked him for a tissue, police said.

"When the victim went to give the male tissue, the male grabbed the victim by the shirt and pushed him against a vehicle and then to the ground," police said. "The suspect then removed the victim's wallet before fleeing the location."

One of Malabayabas' neighbors says the incident happened when he was bringing groceries into his house. That person said their roommate watched what happened from a window.

"He had grocery bags in his hand . . . and then shew saw him walk inside and come back out, and that's when it happened," the neighbor said.

The witness immediately got on the phone with 911 and started yelling. That's when neighbors started coming out of their homes to see if he was OK, the neighbor said.

When officers arrived, Malabayabas was being treated by medics. He was taken to an area hospital for treatment.

Malabayabas' condition worsened on Aug. 21 and he died the following day, police said. 

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner on Tuesday ruled his death a homicide.

According to a 2013 article in The Catholic Review, Malabayabas frequently volunteered in Patterson Park, cutting overgrown grass, picking up litter, and tending to trees.

"I love having the park in my backyard," he said. "If we all come together, we can make it beautiful for future generations."

He would bring his two children with him to help, according to the article.

Another one of Malabayabas' neighbors, Charlie, told WJZ that he wasn't surprised to hear Victor was so willing to help a stranger.

"He would give you the shirt off his back and then he would even try to do more for you if [he] could," Charlie said.

A native of the Philippines who served in the navy there for more than a decade, Malabayabas worked as a dishwasher and on a boat after arriving in the United States. In the evenings, he studied finance. Eventually, he landed a position at Morgan Stanley's offices in Fells Point, according to the article.

Malabayas worked for Morgan Stanley for close to two decades prior to leaving the company in 2019, according to bank officials.

"Victor was a beloved member of our team here in Baltimore," Christine Alberti, an executive director at Morgan Stanley, said. "Our hearts go out to his family and loved one during this difficult time."

Some of Malabayas' neighbors have expressed concern that his assailant has been in and out of the neighborhood following the deadly assault. They are spreading the word so that everyone can stay on high alert.

"The person was wearing the same clothes," one neighbor said.

Anyone with information is asked to call homicide detectives at 410-396-2100 or Metro Crime Stoppers 1-866-7Lockup.

Correction: An initial report from authorities said the suspect asked Malabayabas for a cigarette, not a tissue. WJZ regrets the error.