Frenchman found dead in Lapu house

A 63-YEAR-OLD French national was found dead inside his room in Barangay Poblacion, Lapu-Lapu City last Saturday night.

The police discovered the decomposing body of Joel Robert Woivre inside his rented house in Sitio Suba Basbas at 8:45 p.m.

PO2 Winston Ybañez of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office Homicide Section said Woivre was naked and lying face down on his bed.

Inside the room, the police recovered an empty shell from a .45 pistol.

Ybañez said a police officer who lived nearby called the Police Station 4 after the neighbors noticed foul smell coming from the house.

The police called Woivre’s girlfriend Monica Villaver, a resident of Barangay Pagsabungan, Mandaue City, to bring a duplicate key so they could enter the house.

Ybañez said they didn’t find any signs of forced entry, and the house was in order.

Woivre’s body was brought to a funeral parlor for an autopsy to determine the cause of his death.

The police couldn’t determine if the man had gunshot wounds because his body was decomposing.

Ybañez said they could not determine also when Woivre died. “We are still waiting for the autopsy report,” he said.

The Scene of the Crime Operatives went to the area yesterday, but they have yet to release a report.

Ybañez said they asked Villaver, who requested not to be questioned by the police last Saturday night, to appear to their office today for questioning.

According to neighbors, Woivre had been living in the house for several months. He was
reportedly a pensioner and was separated from his wife.

Ybañez said the police are now getting in touch with Woivre’s daughter abroad.