ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Annapolis police have a murder mystery on their hands and are asking for help finding whoever killed 22-year-old Kenneth Andrew Gram.

The University of California Santa Cruz graduate got into an argument at a bar on West Street. Half-an-hour later his body was found in a different part of town.

Ken Gram was an artist, a published poet and in the words of his family, a free spirit.

Last week the 22-year-old Californian was in Annapolis on a post-college graduation cross country tour to visit friends when he was found stabbed to death behind a burger joint.

Ray Weaver with Annapolis Police Department said, "There is no evidence this is drugs or robbery related. And it is rather unusual. We have very few homicides in Annapolis and there is usually a pattern. There seems to be none here."

What police do know is that Gram left The Whiskey bar on West Street after some sort of altercation one week ago Wednesday night. Within half an hour, he was found on a sidewalk behind the Cherry Grove Shopping Center off of Forest Drive. He had been stabbed multiple times.

Annapolis resident Chris Kane said, "It's disturbing 'cause in this area we don't usually have that kind of crime."

Frank Harris of Annapolis insisted, "Something needs to be done in the city of Annapolis to curtail this problem."

Gram has no criminal record, no known involvement in drugs and in fact was devoting time to Kids for Peace, an international organization founded by his younger sister. His family has issued a statement asking for prayers for peace. Police are asking for clues.

Weaver said, "We're asking the public to help us if they saw Kenneth with someone or have an idea of what may have transpired that night. Please give us a call."

Gram's family in California is planning a bonfire on Moonlight Beach in Encinatas Friday night. They've also asked people to pray for the killer and that person's family.

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