Wednesday, July 16, 2008 3 men seen at site of killing
THREE men were seen acting suspiciously at the scene where an American national was attacked and strangled Sunday night.
The report bolsters Philippine National Police (PNP) Crime Laboratory Director Nestor Sator’s theory that more than one person attacked and killed Billie Thomas Hannon, 70.
Sator said Hannon died of asphyxia by strangulation and suffered contusions in the forehead and chest. Sator said there was no cut or penetrating wound on the victim’s body.
Hannon’s body was discovered by his 73-year old neighbor Gregoria Estardo at 6:30 a.m. Monday. Estardo said is a neighbor of the victim in Sitio Kagudoy, Barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City, not in Vista Bella as earlier reported.
No forced entry
Lapu-Lapu City Police Office Director Senior Supt. Mariano Natuel told CCTN TV that Hannon may have known his killers because there were no signs of forced entry into the house.
Homicide police investigators spent the entire day yesterday looking for leads. They later learned that someone saw the suspects acting suspiciously at the crime scene. Police refused to talk more about the possible witness saying they still have to talk to the person.
Sator said there were strangulation marks on the victim’s neck. The marks indicated he was strangled with a firm chord from the back.
Marks
Sator said the victim also had “hit” marks in the forehead and chest, inflicted by a hard object. There were, however, no signs of internal bleeding.
He said he also found traces of alcohol in the victim’s stomach. He said the alcoholic drink may have made Hannon an easy target for assault that Sunday night.
Sator said he believes three or more persons attacked the six-foot heavily-built victim Sunday night. (OCP)
