A 74-year-old Canadian man is one of the latest casualties in a rash of mysterious deaths of foreigners in Medellin, Colombia.
Cops say Robert Frederick Good was discovered lying dead, face up, in his hotel room bed on July 6 by staff.
He had not been heard from for several days, police noted.
Good had been staying in the fun-filled El Poblado neighbourhood. The area is popular with tourists including American and Canadian ex-pats who vacation or winter there.
Detectives said that while there were no signs of violence, his cause of death remains unknown and an investigation continues. It is not known where Good is from in Canada.
But his death raised eyebrows with cops.
So far in 2024, 39 foreigners have died mysteriously in Medellin. Good’s death follows a chillingly similar pattern.
This week, the body of a 66-year-old Irishman was discovered in his hotel room in the same area. He had been in the country since February and investigators say the manner in which his body was found was eerily similar to the Good case.
Local media speculated that both deaths may be linked to a tough to trace drug, scopolamine. The powerful drug is frequently used by Medellin criminals to incapacitate robbery victims.
Local officials in the city — formerly drug baron Pablo Escobar’s cocaine capital — are worried about the impact the mystery deaths may have on the booming tourist trade.
More than 1.2 million tourists visited Medellin in 2023.
“It is important that the authorities always determine the causes of deaths. Therefore, it is crucial for the medical examiner to advance quickly in resolving pending cases,” Mayor Federico Gutierrez said in demanding action from cops.
About half of the dead foreigners have been Americans. Cops say that two were murders, six were suicides, five had natural deaths and the remainder have been classified as unknown causes.
Recently, American tourist Clifford Allan Wilke, 66, and Mathel Wasson, 25, of the El Paso border patrol, both died with question marks.
Detectives have speculated that some of the suspicious deaths are linked to the equally booming sex trade in the city. Reports said that many from Escobar’s sinister network are involved in sex trafficking and cops turn a blind eye.
Medellin authorities cautioned travellers to be aware of the dangers of using dating apps used as hooks to lure victims. Canadians and Americans are particularly vulnerable because of their presumed wealth.
@HunterTOSun