AN UNIDENTIFIED suspect shot dead a farm watchman in Barangay Pilar, Hinigaran town, Negros Occidental on Saturday, April 9, 2022.

Killed was Joemarie Gariando, 49, of Barangay San Juan in Binalbagan town, Hinigaran Municipal Police Station chief Captain Ryan Villasrio said.

Villasario said Gariando sustained three gunshot wounds on the head and a hematoma on his chest. He died on the spot.

Felizardo Aguillon, the victim’s uncle, told the police that he was sleeping inside the house in Purok Ubay where they are temporarily staying when he was awakened by several gunshots.

When he checked what happened, Aguillon said he saw his nephew lying on a bamboo sofa with blood dripping from his head.

Two fired cartridge cases of a .45 caliber pistol and a fired bullet of the same firearm were recovered from the crime scene, police records showed.

Since there was no other person in the house when Gariando was killed, Aguillon is now being considered a person of interest, Villasario told SunStar Bacolod.

Investigation showed that Gariando did not receive any threats prior to his killing.