Landscaper slain in his apartment

The body of a 50-year-old man was found yesterday noon already in an advanced state of decomposition inside the comfort room of his rented apartment at the third floor of Mercedes Arcade at Franco Building in barangay Tipolo, Mandaue City.

Police identified the fatality as Alexander Deen, from Malate, Metro Manila, a landscaper who was renting a unit at the Mercedes Arcade for two years already. 

Michael Graciano, the building’s caretaker, said he has not seen Alexander around the building for the past five days although his car was still parked in the premises.

This unusual situation prompted Graciano to inform building administrator Diana Ledesma about it.  Ledesma in turn called up Alexander’s cousin Eric Deen about the missing Alexander.

Eric arrived at the place and, as he opened the apartment, he found the victim’s body lying prone, with hands and feet bound with electrical wire, inside the comfort room of the rented place.  Eric quickly called up the Subangdaku police.

SPO2 Alfredo Andales, said they also found the rented unit in complete disarray.

Initial investigation revealed that Graciano’s wife Evelyn saw three men inside the victim’s room at 5 a.m. last February 19.  She did not identify any of them.

Andales added that there were reports that Alexander often entertained male guests while he was still alive.

An autopsy is set to be conducted at the Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes to determine the cause of death.  — Flor Z. Perolina/RAE