By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – A suspected thief was found dead in a compound at Barangay Sara-et, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental early Monday.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Glen Provido, city police chief, identified the fatality as Stephen Ivan Rios, 22, of Barangay 3.
Provido said Agapito Malayas Jr., owner of the compound, found the lifeless body of Rios around 6 a.m. while he was searching for two fighting cocks that went missing.
Provido said Rios was lying on the ground near the cyclone wire fence of the compound. Police recovered from the area a ball cap, t-shirt, and a pair of slippers.
Provido said they suspect that Rios probably died of electrocution when he allegedly tried to steal fighting cocks.
“It was raining that morning and he probably stepped on an open wire,” he added. The city police chief also said that Rios probably had a companion but was able to escape.
Rios had previous theft cases in the city. He is a native of Iloilo province, and was staying at his relatives in the city, the city police chief added.
