‘Red Toyota Tacoma seen at area where body was found’

By Marconi Calindas
Reporter

A red, heavily tinted Toyota Tacoma was seen at the area where the body of a Chinese female was found last Thursday morning, according to witnesses interviewed by the police soon after the discovery of the body.

Four local youths told police during investigation that they were walking along the beach when they came upon the body. They then ran to the Department of Fish and Wildlife Office, said Department of Public Safety spokesman Eric David.

As they were running away from the body, the four young locals noticed a red pickup truck at the site—a heavily tinted Toyota Tacoma.

David quoted the youths as telling police that, as they were running toward the DFW office, the truck was right behind them and when they entered the DFW premises, the truck made a left turn and sped off, heading north.

Right now, DPS is still trying to find out who owns the pickup truck, said David. He said the four failed to get the vehicle’s plate number.

David urged people who may have noticed the same truck at the time of the discovery of the body to inform DPS and call at 235-7272.

Dr. Aurelio Espinola, chief medical examiner from Guam, flew in yesterday afternoon for a scheduled autopsy at 6pm to determine the cause of death of the woman. Autopsy findings would be released on Monday.

“Hopefully, by Monday, DPS will find out from…the autopsy whether the cause of death is natural or if there was a foul play,” said David.

The woman’s body was found on the beach near the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. power plant in Lower Base yesterday morning.

David denied rumors that the woman had killed herself, saying the cause of death has not been determined yet. “The only person who could determine that is specialist Espinola,” he said.

The body, according to David, was found all wet and was fully clothed. He said the tide might have something to do with the drenched condition of the body as there was a high tide that Thursday morning.

He said details of the body’s physical condition—whether she had contusions or bruises—would remain classified until the findings from the autopsy are released on Monday.

David denied several rumors related to the incident, including the possibility that the woman was raped, or that the woman’s face was bloated and decomposing, making her unidentifiable.

David said that, as far as he knows, it takes 24 hours for a body to start decomposing, but it had only been 12 hours when the body was found from the time it was reported missing.

Initial investigation showed that the woman was a hand sewer for Concorde Garment Manufacturing, Inc. She was a 23-year-old Chinese national, born on Oct. 10, 1981. Her name would not be released until Concorde officials inform her relatives of her fate, said David.

Concorde reported a missing person to DPS last March 9 and DPS immediately sent one police officer to the Concorde office at 11:30pm to entertain the report.