Police eye suicide in death of Nicaraguan diplomat

A Nicaraguan diplomat found dead with his throat slashed in the Bronx may have killed himself, officials said Friday.

Law enforcement sources said detectives are leaning toward ruling Cesar Mercado's death a suicide because certain cuts found on his body appear to be of the kind made by people who self-inflict their injuries.

Mercado, 34, was found dead at his home early Thursday by aide Edgar Hernandez, who had arrived at Mercado's Grand Concourse apartment to pick him up for a United Nations General Assembly meeting, police said.

Investigators said an almost fully clothed Mercado was found with numerous cuts and slashes to his body lying near the unlocked front door of his apartment.

Speaking to reporters Friday, NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly said that while Mercado's body had been autopsied, the city medical examiner was not ruling it a homicide because some "hesitation" wounds were found. Kelly explained that such wounds are of the kind that "potentially could be made by the individual [Mercado] himself."

A police source said the hesitation wounds found were on Mercado's torso and wrists. Mercado was also found with slashes to his throat.

Kelly said that Mercado was found with some human hair in his hands but that investigators hadn't determined the source of the hair. There was no apparent sign of forced entry to the apartment or a struggle, Kelly said.

Mercado had been an acting consul general at the Nicaraguan Consulate in Manhattan.