Graffiti clue leads to teen suspect who may be tried as adult in San Francisco murder

Eighteen-year-old Max Maltzman was reported missing on Jan. 6, 2023, and his bruised body was found on Jan. 23 in an abandoned warehouse at the former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, where a graffiti tag reading “EBOK” with an arrow pointed to the victim. Classmates identified the tag as belonging to a 17-year-old former Raoul Wallenberg High School student who was known for graffiti. Nearly two years later, investigators matched cellphone data and security footage showing the teen and Maltzman entering the warehouse, prompting an arrest in November 2024.

Witnesses said the suspect confessed and even texted a photo of his bloodied knuckles, while his ex-girlfriend claimed a false rumor about Maltzman’s alleged assault motivated the killing. Prosecutors are asking to try the suspect as an adult, which could bring a sentence of 25 years to life, whereas a juvenile ruling would see him released before age 25. Judge Anne Costin is set to rule on the jurisdictional request, and the defense emphasizes the teen’s prior fentanyl addiction and lack of sophistication in planning the crime.