Police nab suspected killer of pageant titlist

Charges to be filed vs suspect

THE suspect behind the killing of a teenager beauty queen in Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos) was arrested yesterday morning and charges are now being readied by the authorities.

Police Superintendentz Noel Asumen, chief of Police Igacos Police Station in an interview with SunStar Davao identified the suspect as Elvin Juna, 20, married, laborer and resident of Barangay Adecor, Kaputian District, for the killing of Kimberly Boston Autida, 19.

Juna was nabbed by the follow up investigators at around 10 a.m. on July 20, a day after the body of Autida was found lifeless at a secluded, grassy and muddy portion of the area.

Asumen said that Juna, who is the neighbor of the victim, is one of their persons of interest and was initially invited by their office for interrogation hours after the body was found and while he was interviewed, cops had already sensed that he looks uneasy and trembling.

At the crime scene, cops found pieces of evidence like a yellow sweat shirt that they later found out belonging to Juna.

“There are signs that Juna is linked to the crime because of the wounds on his body,” he said.

According to Asumen, his wound was possibly sustained while forcing the victim and dragged her to an isolated location.

The Igacos police chief also said Juna denied the accusation and insisted his innocence to the authorities. He is now under their custody and they are preparing to file the case of rape with homicide once they establish that the victim had been raped.

Autida is a contestant of the Binibining Igacos and crowned as the 4th runner up. She is a 3rd year student of the University of Southeastern Philippines (Usep) Mintal Campus taking up Bachelor of Science

in Community Development. Last seen The slain girl was last seen at their house before she went to her grandparents one kilometer away on Wednesday morning however, hours passed Autida didn’t return.

At around 11am on the same day, her dead body was found.

Asumen said that it was the usual routine of the victim to go to her grandparents’ house and walked the one-kilometer distance. Possibly, along the way, the suspect forcibly hauled the girl and killed her.

“Udto gi-rape unya kay kanang lugara kilid kaayo wala gyud balay dira, kalasangan sagbutan,” he said. Cause of death Upon the release of the autopsy result, it was learned that the victim succumbed to internal bleeding after she was punched hard in her stomach causing damage to her liver.

There were no other wounds found in her body.

Her family and friends, who are still in shock and disbelief are calling for justice for her death.