The initial findings on the autopsy conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) showed that dismissed policeman and murder convict Jonel M. Nuezca died of heart attack, Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra said on Thursday, Dec. 9.

“The preliminary report of the NBI indicates that Nuezca died of cardiac arrest. Laboratory and histophatology exams are going on to determine the specific cause of death,” Guevarra said.

Nuezca died last Nov. 30 at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) Hospital in Muntinlupa City where he was taken by fellow inmates after complaining of dizziness and shortness of breath.

The NBI autopsy was sought as part of the ongoing investigation being conducted by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) to determine if there was foul play involved in Nuezca’s death.

Prior to the autopsy, BuCor Deputy Director General Gabriel P. Chaclag said last Monday, Dec. 6, during the Laging Handa media briefing that initial findings showed that Nuezca died due to cardiac arrest.

“Sa pagtatanong sa kanyang mga kasamahan, ay talaga naman pong natural cause ang itinuturo ng kanyang pagkamatay dahil wala naman pong nakitang kaaway, wala pong suspicious incidents before he was brought to the hospital (The inmates who were questioned indicated he died from natural causes since he had no enemies and no suspicious incidents happened before he was taken to the hospital),” Chaclag said.

“Yung initial po na physical examination ng mga attending doctors wala po silang nakita na signs of violence (Initial physical examination conducted by attending doctors showed no signs of violence),” he added.

Nuezca was convicted of two counts of murder last Aug. 26 by Judge Stela Marie Q. Gandia-Asuncion of Paniqui Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 106 in Tarlac.

He was fould guilty of killing on Dec. 21, 2020 Sonia Gregorio and her son Frank Anthony Gregorio.

The gruesome killings were recorded on video using a mobile phone and quickly became viral online.