Authorities still haven’t announced possible suspects or motives for the death of top Nicaraguan diplomat César Antonio Mercado Pavón, who was found with his throat slashed yesterday in the Bronx. Neighbors heard loud noises the night Pavón, who was well regarded among the expat community for helping secure visas and providing outreach to residents struggling with homelessness and HIV, died. There was no sign of a forced entry, which could mean Pavón knew his killer. Cops are looking for evidence of “a tryst gone bad.” This seems to point the investigation in a different direction than the political nature of the crime hinted at yesterday. Amparo Amador, a close friend, said the normally happy Pavón became morbid six months ago: “He told me, ‘Don’t let them have a funeral for me here if I die. I want a closed casket, just send me to my mother.’” Two weeks ago, he repeated the request.
Nicaraguan diplomat César Antonio Mercado Pavón found dead in Bronx [NYDN]
