Foreign national suspected of repeatedly raping underage girl found dead, hanging in tree in Bronx park: report

A foreign national who is suspected of repeatedly raping a teenage family relative was found dead hanging in a tree at a park in the Bronx.  

Manuel Delgado, 43, from Peru, had lived in the city for less than a year and is believed to have taken his own life in Pelham Bay Park on Oct. 9. Before Delgado was found in the park, the family had discovered the ongoing situation between Delgado and the underage relative and they reported it to police, law enforcement sources told the New York Post. Authorities had the underage girl call Delgado as they taped the conversation.  

As the two spoke on the call, the teenage girl allegedly told Delgado she would report him to the police, he responded, telling her that he wanted to meet with her at "the spot where we used to go," the outlet reported. According to sources that spoke to the outlet, once Delgado got to the location, he committed suicide in the wooded area of Orchard Beach Road and Bartow Circle.  

At 1:30 pm, he was found with cuts on his left forearm, stomach, and neck. Authorities also found a shell casing to a 9mm gun near the scene. The roommate to Delgado told police officers that he sent a message, informing the roommate that he had stabbed himself, the Post reported.  

The alleged sex crimes against the teen had been going on for years before the family arrived in New York, the outlet said. He was not charged for the alleged crimes before his death.