THE partially-decomposed body of 19-year-old Venezuelan national, Eliadis Martinez was found, on Thursday last, floating in the Demerara River in the vicinity of Brickery/Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara (EBD), police confirmed in a statement Friday night.

Police said Martinez, who resided at Land of Canaan, EBD, went to a birthday celebration in his village on Tuesday last which was not far from his residence. He reportedly arrived there at 23:00 hrs.

“About 02:35hrs on Wednesday, 23rd February, 2022, he left the birthday celebration in a drunken state but did not reach (sic) home, neither (sic) was he seen since,” the police statement added.

A search was conducted, according to the police report, by several of his relatives and friends.

“His body was fished out of the Demerara River [on Thursday at 16:00 hrs], and he was positively identified by his father. The body was examined for marks of violence but none was seen, however, his lips appeared to have been eaten by fishes or sea creatures,” the police statement added.

A declaration of death was made at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre. Martinez’s body was taken to Memorial Gardens Mortuary for autopsy.