The short version
- El Nuevo Día reported that the Institute of Forensic Sciences performed the autopsy on Wednesday but the cause and manner of death remain pending further tests
- El Vocero reported that Rivera Leoto was found face down on the floor of his home on PR-3 at 8:09 a.m. Tuesday without a shirt
- Both outlets stated that paramedics from the Emergency Medical Corps confirmed he had no vital signs
- El Vocero cited police sources as not ruling out choking on a piece of meat but said the autopsy will determine the cause
Autopsy results pending
The Institute of Forensic Sciences confirmed that the autopsy of José Juan Rivera Leoto, a 33-year-old member of the New Progressive Party municipal committee in Guayama, was performed on Wednesday. According to El Nuevo Día, the cause and manner of death are pending additional expert analyses. El Vocero reported that the body was taken to the institute in Río Piedras on the instructions of the prosecutor.
Rivera Leoto's mother found him unresponsive on Tuesday morning at his residence on highway PR-3 in Guayama. El Nuevo Día reported that he was lying face down on the floor between a bedroom and the kitchen area. El Vocero reported that the discovery occurred at 8:09 a.m. and that he was not wearing a shirt.
Also on PuertoRico.com: Guayama travel guide
What the sources posted
Posts and statements below are the sources' own words, quoted as published. They are not independently verified.
Con profundo pesar recibo la noticia de la repentina partida de José Juan Rivera Leoto.
Our translation: With deep sorrow I receive the news of the sudden departure of José Juan Rivera Leoto.
The source's own statement, as quoted by El Nuevo Día. Not verified by PuertoRico.com.
Investigation details
Paramedics from the Negociado del Cuerpo de Emergencias Médicas certified that Rivera Leoto showed no signs of life. The Technical Services Division of the Criminal Investigation Corps in Guayama documented the scene with 48 photographs, El Nuevo Día reported.
Agent Joseira Ortiz of the Homicide Division and prosecutor Lorein Acevedo, also referred to as Lorain Acevedo, responded to the scene, both outlets stated. Rivera Leoto also worked at the Administración de Familias y Niños, according to El Nuevo Día.
Where the sources differ
Both El Nuevo Día and El Vocero agree that José Juan Rivera Leoto, 33, was found dead by his mother on Tuesday morning in his Guayama residence, that paramedics confirmed no vital signs, that the autopsy occurred on Wednesday at the Institute of Forensic Sciences, and that the cause remains pending. El Nuevo Día provided more details on the exact location inside the home and the number of scene photographs. El Vocero added that the man was found without a shirt and cited police sources suggesting choking on meat as a possibility not yet ruled out. Both name the same investigators with minor spelling variations for the prosecutor.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not state whether any trauma or suspicious elements were observed at the scene. They provide no information on toxicology or other test timelines. No official cause of death has been released and the articles do not mention any preliminary findings or next steps in the investigation beyond awaiting forensic results.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Official Por determinarse la causa y manera de muerte de miembro del comité municipal del PNP en Guayama
- Reporting Por determinarse la causa y manera de muerte de miembro del comité municipal del PNP en Guayama
- Reporting Aguardan por autopsia de miembro de comité municipal del PNP hallado muerto en Guayama
How we checked this
El Nuevo Día and El Vocero both reported the discovery and pending autopsy of José Juan Rivera Leoto. The senator's statement of condolence appears only in El Nuevo Día. Details such as the possible choking scenario rest solely on El Vocero.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.
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