Widow’s death baffles cops

Police are still baffled over the cause of death of a widow whose decomposing body was found inside her residence by a barangay chairman in Tondo, Manila.

The victim was identified as Felicitas Rivera, 67, whom neighbors said was living alone at 1542 Tindalo street, Tondo.

Benjamin Canlas, chairman of Barangay 254, Zone 23, told police his attention was drawn by a foul smell coming from the house of the victim. He later took a peek through the window of the said house.

Inside, he saw the widow’s body lying on her back under a dining table on the ground floor of her two-story residence.

Investigators found out that the victim’s body was already in near-state of decomposition and could have been dead for three days.

The victim was wearing a violet T-shirt and brown nylon pants. She was still wearing her eyeglasses. Her earrings were intact as well as a silver ring on her left finger. There was blood on her head.

Pieces of furniture inside the house were in slight disarray with a wooden table turned on its side, investigators said. The victim owned four pet dogs.

Investigators said they could not yet determine the victim’s cause of death pending the autopsy report. They are still figuring out whether or not she had been a victim of a break-in.

Neighbors said the victim was a loner. She was last seen alive last Sunday outside her residence carrying a dog chain and looking for one of her pet dogs. – Nestor Etolle