No relatives to identify murdered San Juan man

Police are still trying to find relatives of 76-year-old murder victim Roy Phillip to identify his body and begin the process of an autopsy.

Phillip was stabbed to death by a 37-year-old female relative at his Prizgar Road, San Juan, home on Wednesday afternoon.

Police said Phillip and the the woman argued and he threw a pot of boiling lentils at her, burning 75 per cent of her torso.

She retaliated by stabbing him once in the chest.

Nearby residents heard the commotion and called the police, who brought a district medical officer who declared Phillip dead.

An ambulance took the woman to the Eric Williams Medical Science Complex, but she was discharged and is in police custody.

Phillip's body was taken to the Forensic Science Centre, St James, for identification on Thursday, but police and funeral home workers said no relatives could be located. Investigators said they would continue to try to find a relative to identify him.

Newsday visited Phillip's Prizgar Road apartment and spoke with neighbour Akeba Nelson, who said she still could not believe what happened. She remembered Phillip as a friendly man who generally kept to himself.

"I'm a little depressed since this happened. Since I'm living here I know the guy, While living here he was very humble to me.

"There's no other way to describe it than shock.

"I was cooking at the time, I overheard some quarrelling and about five or ten minutes after, I heard the young woman scream, and then I heard the old man scream.

"Eventually somebody ran outside to see what is going on. That's when I saw the woman with the burn marks."

Nelson said she had heard rumours that Phillip had been violent to women in the past. Newsday spoke to homicide investigators who said they were still trying to determine if this was true.

Police from the Homicide Bureau of Investigations Region II are continuing enquiries.