yesterday at a Coroner's inquest.

Silvino Mendonca was found hanging by the neck from the sanitation plant at the Grotto Bay Hotel, Hamilton Parish, three days after his disappearance from the resort's staff housing.

"Unfortunately, it would seem his death was caused by no other than (himself),'' Coroner Cheryl-Ann Mapp ruled.

Mendonca, who was 29 at the time of his death, was employed at Grotto Bay along with his older brother, Antonio, who also lived in employee housing.

According to a statement taken from his brother by Portuguese translator Ms Maria Bothelo, Mendonca had become "nervous and agitated about something'' on Friday, July 17.

Mendonca had a telephone conversation with his fiancee in the Azores earlier that evening, during which he complained of "not feeling very well''. The pair had planned to marry last December.

Antonio Mendonca said he and another employee took Mendonca to his room "to calm him down'', leaving only after he had dozed off.

Two hours later, around 11 p.m., Mendonca was heard "crying out and banging his head against the door'' of his room.

According to later testimony, Mendonca had screamed out the name of a former girlfriend, "Theresa'', who had committed suicide.

Antonio Mendonca attempted to open the door, but found it was locked. While he went in search of help, his brother left the building and disappeared.

When he did not show up for work the next day, a massive search of the area was launched, but turned up nothing.

The maintenance worker who discovered the gardener's body, Mr. Stanley Thompson, was the only person who had regular access to the fenced-in sanitation plant where he found the body.

Mr. Thompson said when he arrived at the plant around 9 a.m. on Monday, July 20, he noticed a piece of blue rope protruding from the building.

Walking to the eastern side of the structure, Mr. Thompson found Mendonca's body hanging by a blue rope, which was fastened to the top of the plant.

Chief pathologist Dr. John Winwick testified that there was no bruising or traumatic injuries on the body other than on the neck, where the rope "was deeply embedded''.

Although he was unable to conduct extensive tests because of the body's state of decomposition, Dr. Winwick concluded the cause of death was "asphyxia consistent with hanging''.