ILOILO CITY - A 58-year-old American was found dead in his rented apartment unit here on Sunday in what police said was an apparent case of suicide.

Charles Randy Shields of Texas was found in his two-story apartment around 7 a.m. by a worker at the apartment complex owned by Elsa Nemenzo at San Juan Street, Ledesco Citi Homes in Barangay Banuyao, La Paz District here.

PO3 Sixto Decrepito, investigator of the La Paz police station, said they found no injuries on Shields and no sign of foul play. They also recovered what appeared to be a suicide note and Shield's last will and testament.

Decrepito said they are still waiting for results of an autopsy examination conducted by the police crime laboratory to determine the cause of Shield's death. But he said the American could have died from an overdose because they found several empty medicine packets in his room.

In a letter addressed to his fellow American Paul Agiy, Shield's thanked his friend for helping him while he was in Iloilo City. He also asked Agiy to give his letter to his Filipino wife Elsa Sacris, a native of Virac town in Catanduanes.

"It takes a great deal of determination to do what I have done," Shields said in his letter.

Shields who worked as a teacher and writer in Taiwan came here six months ago upon Agiy's invitation, Decrepito said.

Agiy told investigators that Shields, who was suffering from various ailments, had been depressed since his wife left him in January.

In his last will and testament, Shield's said he should be left alone to die. "I wish that no more heroic measures would be made to keep me alive. When I'm gone, I'm gone," he said. Shield's remains now lie at the Somo Funeral Homes in this city.*

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