Puerto Rico Department of State confirms no family contact in death of 53-year-old in Medellín
Gustavo Javier Rodríguez Meléndez was found dead in a hotel room on Monday; Colombian authorities are investigating the case as a possible homicide while the body undergoes forensic examination.
PhotoThe short version
- Metro Puerto Rico reports the man was discovered Monday in Laureles after his wife in Puerto Rico could not reach him and a driver insisted on opening the room
- The Department of State said Tuesday that no relatives have contacted them directly but a communication was sent to the Colombian consulate
- According to Metro Puerto Rico the room was disordered and some belongings were missing; the body was taken to the Institute of Legal Medicine
- Telemundo Puerto Rico states authorities are investigating the death as a possible murder
No family outreach to Puerto Rico authorities
The Puerto Rico Department of State confirmed on Tuesday that it had received no direct communication from the family of Gustavo Javier Rodríguez Meléndez, 53, who was found dead in a Medellín hotel. Metro Puerto Rico reported Daphne Febres, assistant secretary of foreign relations, said in an interview with Telenoticias that a communication had been sent to the Colombian consulate although no official information had yet been received.
According to the same outlet Rodríguez Meléndez was found without signs of life on Monday in a room in the Laureles sector. His wife in Puerto Rico had been unable to contact him, prompting a driver known to the victim, Óscar García of Tours Medellín, to go to the hotel and insist that staff open the room. The scene was reportedly disordered and several of the man’s belongings were missing.
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What the sources posted
Posts and statements below are the sources' own words, quoted as published. They are not independently verified.
Hasta el momento ninguno de los familiares se ha comunicado acá directamente
Our translation: So far none of the relatives have communicated with us directly
The source's own statement, as quoted by Metro Puerto Rico. Not verified by PuertoRico.com.
Forensic examination under way
The body was transferred to the Institute of Legal Medicine in Colombia to determine the cause of death and whether any substances were involved, Metro Puerto Rico reported. Febres noted that the family may request assistance from the Department of State for necessary coordination, including repatriation of the remains.
Telemundo Puerto Rico reported that the death is being investigated as a possible murder. The outlet published video coverage under the headline “Investigan muerte de boricua en hotel de Medellín.”
Where the sources differ
All three sources agree that a 53-year-old Puerto Rican man named Gustavo Javier Rodríguez Meléndez was found dead in a Medellín hotel on Monday and that Colombian authorities are treating the case as a possible homicide. Metro Puerto Rico provides the most detail on the discovery, the missing belongings, the driver’s role, the Department of State’s lack of family contact and the forensic step at the Institute of Legal Medicine. Telemundo Puerto Rico states authorities are investigating it as a possible murder but adds no further facts. The third Metro article focuses on potential tourism impact and contains no new factual information about the death itself.
What the reports do not say
The sources do not state the exact cause of death, whether any substances were found, the identity or motive of any possible perpetrator, the precise time the body was discovered, or whether the family has requested consular assistance. They also do not indicate when the forensic results are expected or what specific steps the Colombian consulate has taken.
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 Lo último sobre la muerte de un puertorriqueño en Medellín:
- Reporting Lo último sobre la muerte de un puertorriqueño en Medellín:
- Reporting Investigan muerte de boricua en hotel de Medellín
How we checked this
Metro Puerto Rico supplied the bulk of the factual reporting on the timeline, the Department of State response and the condition of the room. Telemundo Puerto Rico reported the investigation is being handled as a possible murder. The tourism-impact article by Metro offered only an expert opinion and was not used for factual claims.
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.