Autopsy determines cab driver was murdered

Keith Paul

Friday, Nov. 12, 1999 | 3:18 a.m.

A autopsy Friday determined the death of a Las Vegas cabby, who was found dead on the ground outside his taxi, was a homicide, not natural causes, Metro Police said.

Federico Baluyot, 63, was found about 7:30 a.m. Thursday face down near the sidewalk in the 200 block of West Baltimore Avenue. There didn't appear to be any obvious wounds, so detectives were waiting for the results of the autposy to determine if his death was from natural causes or a homicide, said Lt. Wayne Petersen of Metro Police homicide unit.

The autopsy revealed Baluyot died from a heart attack brought on by being hit by a blunt force on the head and shoulders, according to the Clark County Coroner's Office officials.

The keys to the cab were missing, but the cab was still near Baluyot's body. Detectives are trying to determine if robbery was a motive for the killing, Petersen said.

Baluyot last picked up a fare at the Luxor hotel-casino about 1:30 a.m. Thursday. He wasn't in the area to pick up another fare. He was not heard from again until another cab driver found his body about 7:30 a.m., police said.

Baluyot had been driving for Whittlesee Blue Cab for about three months, company officials said.