US Marine detained in warship after transgender's murder
MANILA – A transgender woman was found dead in Olongapo City before dawn on Sunday. A US Marine is suspected of killing a filipino trasgender.
The victim, identified as Jeffrey Laude alias ''Jenny'', was found naked and lifeless inside the comfort room of Celzone Hotel in Barangay West Tapinac with only a blanket covering her and her head slumped in the toilet bowl.
Chief Insp. Gil Domingo, Olongapo Police Station 3 commander, said investigators are now trying to identify the foreign national based on the testimonies gathered from witnesses.
Based on the initial investigation of the Olongapo police, Laude's neck was pressed down on the toilet seat, while her head was being shoved into the toilet bowl.
Two used condoms were also found in the garbage can inside the hotel room.
CCTV footage taken at a bar in Olongapo City shows four male foreigners with Laude.
Laude's friend said the foreigners approached them inside the bar on the evening of October 11.
A few minutes later, Laude and one of the foreigners checked in at Celzone Lodge.
The foreigner was spotted leaving the room at 11:45 p.m.
Motel staff who entered the room to clean it found the victim's body.
There were no signs of a struggle in the bedroom and Laude's belongings were complete.
Police are now looking at two motives behind the killing.
One -- The foreigner could have found out that Laude was a transgender. However, authorities doubt this theory because of the used condoms discovered in the room.
Another theory of investigators is Laude could have tried to steal from the foreigner.
