Michael Thomas was down on his luck in 2005. He had recently moved to town in hopes of finding a job and to be closer to his mother.

Thomas often slept in an alleyway in the 200 block of Commerce Street in Wichita. It is a place where many homeless people bed down for the night so they can get away from the crowds in Old Town.

In July of 2005, Thomas apparently got into an argument with somebody. Police say Thomas was severely beaten. His body was found the next morning.

"We talked to several other homeless," says Detective Rick Craig. "They knew Mr. Thomas and said he was regularly there and saw him the day before."

It took weeks to find anyone who even knew Thomas, enabling police to find out some background information on him. Michael Thomas had no close family members in Wichita, although his mother does live in Kansas.

If you have any information that might help solve the case, call Crimestoppers at 267-2111. As usual, you can remain anonymous. If your tip leads to an arrest an conviction, you may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

Crimestoppers of Wichita/Sedgwick County is an organization of citizens against crime.