Dominican Republic police don’t rule out hate on Haitian found hanging

Santo Domingo.- National Police chief Manuel Castro on Friday said the death of a Haitian found hanged in a park in Santiago “has all the characteristics of a crime” thus far.

The official responded to a reporter’s question on whether xenophobia was the cause of the murder. "It has yet to be established what it was… .It has all the characteristics of a crime."

"When we have more details and sufficient information then we’ll say what caused it and who the perpetrators are," Castro said of the ongoing investigation.

He said three people have already been identified who might be involved in the murder of the Haitian national, who was found hanging from a tree with his hands and feet bound, at Ercilia Pepin park in the country’s second largest city, a hotbed of anti-Haitian sentiment.

"I cannot give you details because if I divulge details, nationality, it could derail the investigation," said Castro, who visited the crime scene Thursday.