On Wednesday, June 10, 2020, at about 4:05 pm, Contra Costa County Deputy Sheriffs from Bay Station were dispatched to a suspicious circumstance at an apartment building on the 4800 block of Appian Way in El Sobrante.
Deputies arrived at the location and discovered a body that was decomposed. The Homicide Unit of the Investigation Division responded along with the Crime Lab.
The autopsy of the body took place this morning, Thursday. The person is identified as 64-year-old John Birdseye Sussdorff of El Sobrante. The cause of death is listed as blunt force chest injury and sharp force head injury.
Detectives identified a suspect in the case as 48-year-old Anthony Mark Rodriguez of El Sobrante. Rodriguez was arrested and later booked into the Martinez Detention Facility for murder. He is being held in lieu of $1 million bail. Detectives say the two knew each other and had lived in the same residence.
Anyone with any information on this case is asked to contact the Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.
