CEBU CITY, Philippines - An American was found dead inside his rented room in an apartment in Vista Bella Subdivision in the village of Basak, Lapu-Lapu City, Monday morning.
Police found the body of Billie Thomas Hannon, 70, a former serviceman in the US military with a cord from an electric fan tied around his hands. A towel was tied to his head to cover his nose and mouth.
Homicide police are still trying to look into the reasons for his death since his body did not bear any injuries that would indicate that a culprit hit him with a hard object, bladed weapon or a firearm.
At the time of the attack, Hannon was reportedly alone since he was abandoned by his live-in partner Christina Sasan last July 5 or less than a week after they moved into the place. They do not have any children.
No suspect
While no witnesses could identify anyone who went inside Hannons rented room the night before he was found dead, the investigators are looking into the possible involvement of Sasans relatives, who live in Sitio Cagudoy, the area where the apartment is situated.
We can not discount every possibility. But nobody is a suspect yet and we should not be misinterpreted (in conducting) the usual procedure in the investigation," homicide investigator SPO4 Roselito Jumao-as told Sun.Star Cebu in an interview.
He said the victim may have died from suffocation because his nose and mouth were tightly covered with a towel.
Posible nga gibasa sa tubig ang towel aron mamatay sa suffocation ang victim (The towel used could have been wet to suffocate the victim)," Jumao-as said Hannons death was discovered by his 73-year-old female neighbor Gregoria Estardo, who had the habit of greeting him every morning when she passed by his rented room.
No reply
At 6:30 a.m., Estardo said she did not hear any reply so she was tempted to peep into the window and found Hannon unconscious with hands tied to his back.
Jumao-as said they are considering robbery as the motive in the killing because Hannon, as claimed by his former live-in partner, always had with him his wallet, mobile phone and a diamond ring set in gold.
He said the culprits could be familiar or are friends of Hannon because there were no signs of forcible entry when they checked the door and the windows.
There was also a half-full pitcher of beer. They room also did not appear to be in disarray.
Ang scenario is more likely nga kainom niya ang mga culprit sa wala pa siya patya (We believe the culprits were his drinking buddies who decided to kill him)," Jumao-as said. Sun.Star Cebu