Cops ID suspect in South Philly cook's slaying

Authorities are asking for help finding the man suspected of killing a coworker last week at a Vietnamese restaurant in South Philadelphia.

Philadelphia police said Monday that 27-year-old Noel Ortea Lemus Del Cid is a person of interest in the slaying of Thoung Nguyen.

Nguyen, 54, was found in the basement of Lee's Cafe & Bistro, located at 522 Washington Ave., shortly after 9 p.m. Thursday with her throat slashed.

She had been preparing food with the suspect at the time of her death, police said. Her body was found when the restaurant's owner went to the basement after he sent an order to the kitchen, but the food didn't arrive within 10 minutes.

Officials had previously identified a male coworker named "Noelle" as a person of interest in the killing. On Monday they clarified the man's full name and described him as a Honduran national whose last known address was on the 1300 block of South 9th Street. He drives a white SUV, has a thin or medium build and may have a cut on one of his hands, police said.

About four employees and five customers were at the restaurant when the killing occurred, and there were signs of a violent struggle in the basement, officials said last week.

The restaurant remains closed.

"Thank You for all the support we were getting in past couple days," a message posted Monday on the business' Facebook page said.

Anyone with information about his whereabouts should call police at 215-686-3388 or 911.