A 34-year-old Nicaraguan diplomat was found dead in a New York apartment with his throat slashed, local media quoted police as saying on Thursday.

Cesar Mercado, who had worked at the Nicaraguan consulate as acting consul general, was found dead at 10:35 a.m. local time in his apartment in Bronx, according to the report of CNN.

The body was discovered by his driver, who was planning to take him to the United Nations, a New York police spokesman was quoted as saying. Mercado was to attend the annual meeting of the UN General Assembly, which began Sept. 14.

A knife was found near the body, and the apartment didn't appear to have been ransacked, the New York Times reported. Mercado was seen by neighbors on Wednesday, the newspaper said.

Police were investigating a possible motive, and no suspects were immediately identified.