The gruesome discovery was made in the Colombian city of Medellin on Tuesday, after locals complained about strong smells coming from the property in a central city neighbourhood
Police are reportedly hunting a British man after discovering the semi-naked body of a trans woman in a pool of blood at a rented holiday apartment in the Colombia.
The gruesome discovery was made in the city of Medellin on Tuesday after locals complained about strong smells coming from the property in a central city neighbourhood. Police and prosecutors entered the property after previously arranging to meet the owner outside. They are said to have discovered the victim lying in a pool of blood with her hands tied behind her back after suffering several blows with a heavy object. She was wearing only a T-shirt and white socks.
Colombian press are reporting an unnamed British tourist had rented the property around a month ago and vanished after neighbours heard loud noises and “hurried movements” in the early hours of Sunday morning. Local newspaper El Colombiano said investigators had discovered that before disappearing at the weekend, the UK national had been entering the apartment on a regular basis with people described as being members of the local LGBT community.
It was not immediately clear today whether the victim has been formally identified and if police have officially launched a murder probe. Some Colombian media outlets are claiming torture is suspected. A post mortem due to take place late yesterday is expected to provide more details and CCTV cameras in the area are being checked for clues.
Neighbour Nicolas Zuluaga told a Medellin-based TV station: “We began to notice a strong smell about three days ago and the owner of the apartment came to check on Tuesday and then called the authorities. They came and found a body.” Jacques Bracamontes, a spokesman for the LGTB community, said: “We demand the authorities clarify what happened and take the appropriate action.”
The address of the property where the body was discovered has been described locally as being on a street called Calle 57 where it meets another road called Carrera 40A. It is in a neighbourhood called Boston, described on travel guides as a must-visit for visitors interested in exploring Medellin’s cultural heritage.
The city centre neighbourhood is home to the city’s Palace of Fine Arts, Boston Park and the Pablo Tolon Uribe Theatre. At the end of January a balding alleged Irish sex tourist was arrested by police in Medellin after being caught in a hotel room with a young girl who said he had offered her £31 to get into bed with him. Cops released footage of the moment they held the 44-year-old from Dublin and escorted him to a police van in handcuffs wearing baggy jeans and a grey T-shirt.
Officers said they had nabbed the suspect ‘red-handed’ in a room at the unnamed hotel in a neighbourhood called Guayaquil, although he is not thought to have started to engage in sexual intercourse with the 15-year-old minor when he was intercepted. The 34-year-old hotel manager was also arrested. Both men were remanded to a local jail following a court appearance while the investigation against them continued.
And in another incident in April of last year a British backpacker was found dead in his bed at a hostel in Medellin. The 36-year-old man’s girlfriend is said to have discovered his body after flying in from the UK and heading to his room for an emotional reunion after checking in at reception. A number of empty medicine bottles were found beside him according to local reports published at the time which said nothing was pointing to his death being the result of a crime.
