THE BODY of a 31-year -old, American was was found around 8:00 am Tuesday, June 27  in a hostel in the tourist community of Santa Clara, Río Hato in the province of Coclé.

 According to a witness, the man  Michael Allan Gimberg Philips had arrived  back at the hostel the previous night around 11:00 p.m., had fallen, got up and then sat in a recliner, where he was found the  next morning.

A police source linked to the investigation told El Siglo that Philips, who worked and lived at the hostel,  apparently died l died because an artery was punctured by injecting an illicit substance.

Several syringes  were found at the scene and the body had a wound in one of the veins of an arm.