An American expatriate stabbed his Filipino wife dead before committing suicide at home in Makati City on Thursday afternoon.

Police responding to the calls of the neighbors found Alma Lumapac, 28, sprawled dead in the kitchen, while Phillip Van Patten was hanging from the ceiling on the second level of the house.

A three-year-old adopted son was around and presumed to have witnessed what happened to his parents.

PO3 Rico Caramat, case officer, said the murder-suicide was discovered by the neighbors who went to the family residence at 9499 Anubing St. in Barangay San Antonio around 5:30 p.m.

Malou Almasan and Sandra Gaspe said they were bringing food to the couple when they heard the boy crying just as they came to the door.

Upon entering, they found Alma’s body on the floor stabbed many times.

Van Patten was seen dangling with an electrical cord around his neck already lifeless.       

Caramat said the American, who married the Filipino woman in 2002, had a history of nervous breakdowns every time he got into a jealous rage.

Another house occupant, Alma’s mother, was in Quiapo at the time. Ferdinand Fabella