Athens police were continuing to search Monday for the man they believe stabbed and killed his roommate Saturday during an argument over drugs.

Lt. Floyd Johnson said Omar Sanchez, the man police is searching for, might be an illegal citizen.

“We are checking with Homeland Security because we don’t know if he or the victim were in the states legally,” Johnson said. “We do know that Sanchez worked for a local man doing sheet-rock work.”

Johnson described the suspect as being 25 to 27 years of age. He said Sanchez is between 5 feet, five inches and five feet, seven inches tall, weighs between 140 to 160 pounds and has a thin mustache and wears his hair back.

Police said an apparent fight over drugs early Saturday led to the murder of Marcos Morens Cortez. Police said Cortez, also known as Marcos Contreras, was stabbed several times during the fight. He was found dead inside his 19274 Windsox Place home off Airport Road.

Capt. Marty Bruce said the two Hispanic males lived together and friends of the two told police they were known drug users.

At approximately 3:57 a.m. Saturday, Bruce said police received a call to Windsox Place concerning an intoxicated Hispanic male saying he was injured. Officers responded and were unable to locate anyone. Then, another call came in from the same address at approximately 4:57 a.m. Officers responded and located the scene of a murder, Bruce said.

Bruce said officers found the victim lying face down on a bed in the mobile home.

Cortez died of multiple stab wounds to the chest and back. He also had a cut on his neck, Bruce said.

Police said Cortez was from Mexico and had been living in Athens for about a year. Sanchez, also from Mexico, had lived in Athens with Cortez for a couple of months, police said.