Killer Had History of Nervous Breakdowns

"Makati City, Philippines - An American expatriate stabbed his Filipino wife dead before committing suicide at home in Makati City on Thursday afternoon.

"Police responding to the calls of the neighbors found Alma Lumapac, 28, sprawled dead in the kitchen, while Phillip Van Patten was hanging from the ceiling on the second level of the house.

"PO3 Rico Caramat, case officer, said the murder-suicide was discovered by the neighbors who went to the family residence at 9499 Anubing St. in Barangay San Antonio around 5:30 p.m.

"Upon entering, they found Alma’s body on the floor stabbed many times.

"Van Patten was seen dangling with an electrical cord around his neck already lifeless.

"Caramat said the American, who married the Filipino woman in 2002, had a history of nervous breakdowns every time he got into a jealous rage."

From The Manila Standard...

Thrilla In Manila

"Quezon City policemen are looking for the relatives and the engineer husband of an Iligan-based teacher – who journeyed to Manila with their five-year-old son but ended up killing the boy and committing suicide at a hotel – in the hopes of getting information that would shed light on the incident.

"Superintendent Marcelino Pedrozo, chief of the city police’s Homicide Investigation Section, said they intend to get the statements once the relatives and the husband of teacher Ve Cheryl Buhion-Casan turn up to claim the remains of the unfortunate duo from a funeral parlor.

"Pedrozo said that Casan, 32, went to Manila from Iligan city in northern Mindanao with her five-year-old son to confirm rumors that her husband, Bolanting Casan, was cheating on her and was keeping a mistress in Manila. Police said the victims were also planning on spending the Christmas with Bolanting in Manila.

"Upon tracing his husband’s house in Manila, the female Casan was denied entry into the residence because her husband’s mistress was allegedly there.

"Casan and her son, Brylle, then decided to just check in at a Sogo Hotel in Novaliches, Quezon City on Tuesday morning.

"The next day, at about 12:45 p.m., the hotel management decided to force open the room’s door when nobody answered their knocks. Workers found the lifeless boy lying on the bed and the mother hanging from the shower with a nylon rope tied around her neck.

"Investigators have said that the boy could have died either by poisoning or medicine overdose."

From GMA NEWS...