Filipino beauty Geneva Lopez and her fiance were murdered and their bodies tragically burned.
When found, the bodies of the Philippine national beauty contestant and her Israeli fiance were badly decomposed.
Philippine authorities have just arrested two former police officers, Michael Guiang and Rommel Abuzo, on charges of murdering couple Geneva Lopez and Yitshak Cohen over a land dispute.
Suspects Michael Guiang and Rommel Abuzo used to serve in the Philippine police, but due to disciplinary violations, they were fired several years ago.
Victim Geneva Lopez (27 years old) participated in the 2023 Philippine national beauty pageant, and her fiancee, 10 years older than her, is an Israeli citizen.
The victims went missing on June 21, their bodies were found on July 6 in a quarry in Capas town, Tarlac province, 100 km north of Manila, and were in the process of severe decomposition. .
At a press conference announcing the case on July 8, the Philippine National Police said the case was related to a land dispute.
Police initially determined that suspect Guiang had legally mortgaged a plot of land to victim Lopez in 2021. When this person asked Lopez to return the property to sell to someone else, she refused.
Suspect Guiang then discussed with Abuzo, posing as a buyer, and arranged to meet the victims with the promise that if he sold the land, he would pay them both principal and interest on the mortgage.
“When victims Lopez and Cohen appeared in the SUV at the rendezvous point, they were shot and killed by suspects Guiang and Abuzo on June 21,” said the Philippine national police leader.
Police also confirmed that the suspects had planned to kill the victim in advance and did not act spontaneously.
The case was solved thanks to an “unexpected” witness who was called by suspect Guiang to drive the SUV away from the scene and burn the evidence.
“Guiang directed me to drive the victims’ SUV. I was shocked when I saw two bodies in the back seat” – Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted the witness – “Even though I was scared, I had to follow and drive. The car went to the quarry to bury the corpse, then burned the car on the side of the road.”
The burned SUV was found by Philippine police on June 24.