Nida Blanca murder suspect Philip Medel dies

A suspect in the 2001 murder of actress Nida Blanca (Dorothy Jones in real life) died Wednesday night in a Pasig City hospital. Dr. Allan Custodio of the Pasig General Hospital said Philip Medel died of sepsis stemming from pneumonia at about 8:45 p.m. "Wala na si Philip Medel. Nag-expire siya 8:45 p.m. Noong na-admit siya sa hospital ... ang findings namin sa kanya sepsis secondary to pneumonia (Philip Medel is gone. He died at 8:45 p.m. When he was admitted to the hospital he already had trouble breathing... He died of sepsis secondary to pneumonia)," Custodio said in an interview on dzBB radio. "Dumating siya hirap na siyang huminga (He already had trouble breathing when he was brought here)," he added. Medel was rushed to the hospital earlier this week due to chest pains. Doctors noted Medel had a history of hypertension. He was linked to the gruesome killing of Blanca, whose bloodied body was found inside her car in a building in San Juan City in November 2001. While Medel initially confessed his role to Blanca's killing, he made a scene at a Department of Justice hearing, prompting a full investigation. The National Bureau of Investigation eventually linked him to the crime. Medel's death came nearly three years after the suspected mastermind, Rod Lauren Strunk, Blanca’s husband, committed suicide on July 11, 2007. Strunk fell from a second-floor balcony of the Tracy Inn in Tracy, California, USA. — LBG, GMANews.TV