German couple found dead in Puerto Plata hotel

Puerto Plata.- Authorities in Puerto Plata are investigating the death of a German couple found inside a hotel room as a suspected femicide-suicide. The victims were identified as Renate Johanna, 82, and Alfred August, 88, who were staying temporarily in room 825 of the Senator Hotel, located on the Puerto Plata–Maimón highway.

According to the forensic report by Dr. Miguel Cuevas Vásquez, Johanna died from mechanical asphyxiation caused by strangulation, while August died from mechanical asphyxiation due to hanging. Investigators believe the man strangled the woman before taking his own life using a green cable tied to the bathroom door.

The bodies were discovered by Zeneida De la Cruz Clase, a hotel employee who entered the room for routine cleaning and immediately notified management upon finding the couple unresponsive.

The Crime Scene Processing Unit documented the scene, and acting prosecutor Pedro Antonio Melo Pichardo ordered the transfer of the bodies to INACIF Santiago for autopsy. Authorities have secured the couple’s belongings as part of the ongoing investigation.