Scene of the Crime Operatives process the condominium unit in Brgy. Luz, Cebu City where an elderly American national was found dead on Monday, November 4. | Contributed photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Two elderly men, both American nationals, were found dead inside each of their rented condominium units in Cebu City in a span of two days.
The first body was discovered at a condominium in Brgy. Luz at around 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 4.
The deceased was identified as 63-year-old Carl Edward Hoffman, a native of Virginia in United States of America.
Hoffman was a businessman who was renting a unit at the condominium by himself.
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According to police, a cleaning lady was sweeping along the hallway on Monday when she noticed a foul odor coming from the victim’s room.
She then informed the head security guard and the property manager. With the help of a locksmith technician, they opened the unit in question.
To their shock, the lifeless elderly tenant was sitting in an upright position on the bed.
Upon the arrival of medical responders at around 10:55 p.m., they conducted an assessment and found that the victim’s body was already bloated and in a stage of decomposition.
Hoffman’s cadaver was then transported to a funeral homes to be subjected to an autopsy.
Only one day after Hoffman’s body was discovered, another foreigner was found lifeless at a different condominium building in Brgy. Lahug.
American national Jonathan Allen Morcom, 71, was found dead at his rented condominium unit at around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 5.
Police revealed that the security guard at the time noticed an unpleasant odor coming from the tenant’s room.
Alarmed, the guard knocked on the door but received no response.
He then reported the incident to management personnel and Morcom’s wife, who used to live with him, was contacted.
With her permission, they forcibly opened the door leading to the discovery of a naked and lifeless Morcom lying on a chair.
His body was already in a stage of decomposition and emitting a foul odor.
According to police, Morcom’s unit was littered with garbage, including several bottles of wine, when they arrived.
Policemen then transported Morcom’s cadaver and requested for an autopsy examination to determine the cause of his death.
However, they are suspecting that the victim possibly died of natural causes as they detected no signs of foul play.
As of this writing, Mabolo police are waiting on the results of the autopsy and for the victim’s kin to arrive in order to get more information on Morcom’s background.