SOCO at work as matching begins on prints, bloodstains in hotel killing
Fingerprints and bloodstains taken from Tuesday’s bloody hotel crime scene are now subject of intensive matching procedures by experts from the Scene of the Crime Operation (SOCO) team.
With standard prints taken from the victim, 37 year-old Medical Technologist Epi Ramos, fingerprint examiners and SOCO operatives began yesterday the meticulous task.
Ramos was murdered inside one of the hotel rooms with valuables taken by one or two male suspects. Murder weapon was a knife that had yet to be recovered even as SOCO agents combed through the crime scene for hours.
The News Today (TNT) in an investigation learned that a total of eight latent fingerprints were successfully developed and lifted by the SOCO team. Said prints will be used to establish the number and identity of the suspect/s alongside bloodstains taken from the bathroom wall splattered during the apparent struggle.
The latent prints, all “chance impressions,” were taken from the left and right side of the bathroom doorjamb, a computer printer, the hotel’s electric pot, back portion of the main door and the main door itself.
“100% conclusive,” said the TNT source once positive match will be made on the suspects.
Official police blotter entry of the killing was made 11am Tuesday by the hotel management. A declaration of lost valuables was also made which included two laptops, two cellular phones, a digital camera and undisclosed amount of money.
What is also known now as gathered by TNT was that the SOCO team upon entry into the room vis a vis crime scene saw the television set and aircon on. Minutes before that, it was a hotel employee though who first entered the room and turned off the water left running by the victim’s attacker/s.
The running water is a clue in itself, TNT was told, which showed that the suspect/s is/are not professionals.
“Too sloppy,” yet determined to rob Ramos of his valuables. The killing was seen as yet another “determined plan” that strengthened belief the assailant/s is/are known to the hapless victim.
At least 20 stab wounds were inflicted on the victim, four on the head and five on the chest. Defense wounds were also present on both arms proving that a struggle ensued.
Meantime, the Eon Centennial Hotel murder brought into the limelight existing hotel security elsewhere in Iloilo City.
Two hotel managers reached by TNT condemned the killing while allaying fears of hotel guests saying it was an “isolated case.”
Sentiments echoed by a top Tourism official here. (See related story)