American arrested after Australian stabbed to death in Pasig City

Australian businessman
Australian businessman Lambros Zervas, who was found stabbed to death inside his home office in Pasig City on Tuesday. Police have now arrested American Kenneth Damell Bethea, a resident of the same building. Picture via Facebook

An Australian businessman has been found stabbed to death dead with his head in a plastic garbage bag at his Pasig City home office.

Lambros Zervas, who ran Lily Carpet Cleaning Services in Manila and Cebu, was discovered dead at 4.45pm on Tuesday (August 28).

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Pasig City police chief, Senior Superintendent Rizalito Gapas, has identified the prime suspect as 58-year-old American Kenneth Damell Bethea, a resident of the same building. 

He has now been arrested after he was spotted hurrying from the scene by an eyewitness and later identified on footage from the building’s CCTV system.

A police report describes how the body was discovered by Diosdado Gregorio, a former employee of Mr Zervas who was asked by the victim’s wife, Rocelyn, to check up on her husband.

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When Gregorio opened the door, he was shocked to discover the victim’s lifeless body surrounded by a pool of blood.

Police investigators say the victim sustained multiple stab wounds to different parts of the body and that his head had been covered with a plastic garbage bag during the attack.

Police investigators believe the Australian businessman had been dead for three or four hours. This is in line with a report from a female witness, who had seen Bethea rushing out of the office at about 1pm.

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Police reports suggest that there may have been an argument over money. However none of the victim’s belongings were missing from the crime scene.

The Australian Embassy has been informed about the killing and investigations are continuing.

Pasig City Central Police Station has released a two-minute video showing the moment they arrested Bethea in the building’s parking lot. He was standing on the hood of a vehicle with a rope around his neck as the police approached. When he finally jumped, the rope snapped and officers moved in to detain him. [WATCH BELOW]

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