JUST after lunch on Thursday, three employees of the Adventure Suites Hotel in Foreshaw Street, Queenstown, Georgetown broke into the room occupied by 30-year-old Brazilian national Vagno Perriea Alves and discovered his body hanging by the curtain rods at the window of the room. The decision to break into the room had been taken after Alves had failed to make an appearance for the day. Hotel employees were very shaken and traumatized when the discovery was made. Immediately, an alarm was raised and the police were summoned.

The man had worked as a miner in the interior, but had been staying at the hotel since Saturday last.

Investigators informed the Guyana Chronicle that the man may have taken his own life after he had received a letter from his wife in Brazil which in essence had informed him that she had decided to sever their relationship. The letter was reportedly signed by the woman.

Asked what led to the discovery, a hotel staffer explained that the man had owed the business some money since his occupancy of the room, and he had promised to clear up all outstanding debts by Thursday morning at 9 am.

According to one employee, after the man had not been seen for the day, and suspecting that he had not left the premises, hotel staffers took the decision to break the door to his apartment.

The Chronicle was told that the man had been a quiet person, and had more recently seemed to be keeping to himself and not making contact with anyone on his way to or from his room.

One woman who operates a business in the area said the last time she had seen the Brazilian was on Wednesday at approximately noon, when he came to the hotel fully intoxicated.

A source close to the Brazilian Embassy told the Guyana Chronicle that murder or foul play has been ruled out, since all evidence points to suicide.

The source also pointed out that there was no evidence to suggest there had been a scuffle in the man’s room, since everything seemed intact.

The man apparently did not have any relatives in Guyana, and the embassy source stated that while the local police are being allowed to carry out their investigations, the embassy only wanted to ensure that the interest of the Brazilians operating and dwelling in Guyana are safe and secure.

It was stated that while several persons would usually make repeated reservations at the hotel, this was the first time this particular man had checked into the hotel.

The police are continuing their investigations into the matter.

Noise nuisance
Meanwhile, yesterday, the proprietor of the hotel, the building of which also houses the Ellen’s Bar, was very upset at the presence of the media turning up to report on the discovery of the body.

The man became abusive to several members of the media, and threatened to “break up the camera” if the cameraman trained his camera on him.

In light of the unfortunate incident at the hotel, residents in the area are calling on the police at the Alberttown Police Station to clamp down on the repeated acts of noise nuisance at the hotel, which usually go way beyond midnight.

They said that the police have often received calls about the noise, and when they show up, the music subsides for a short while, before being turned up again.