Cops kill suspect in rape-slay of Samal beauty contestant

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Police killed early yesterday the suspect arrested in the rape-slay of a beauty contestant on Samal Island in Davao del Norte.

According to the Samal Island police station, the suspect Elvin Juna, 20, who was earlier apprehended, had complained of stomach ache the other night. 

Juna had confessed that he raped and killed Kimberly Autida, 19, a candidate of the Mutya ng Samal 2016.

Authorities said when elements of the Samal Island police brought him to a hospital yesterday morning, he allegedly was able to open his handcuffs using a hairpin and then grabbed the handgun of one of the police escorts, prompting them to shoot the suspect.

Juna died on the way to a local hospital in Samal.

The suspect and the victim were neighbors. She reportedly rejected him when he tried to court her for a long time. 

Autida’s body, which was dumped in a carabao pond near her house in Barangay Adecor, Kaputian district, was found at around 2:15 p.m. last Wednesday.

Initial investigation showed the victim failed to return after her mother asked her to buy food for lunch.

Samal Mayor David Uy said Juna was a known drug user and surrendered under Oplan Tokhang last year.

Senior Supt. Marcial Magistrado, Davao del Norte police director, said the victim had no visible wounds, but there was indication that her attacker punched her in the stomach, damaging her internal organs.