Model beaten to death by husband

MANILA, Philippines - The American husband of men’s magazine and car show model Aiko Baniqued-Moore is facing a parricide charge after he beat her to death in their Makati City condominium unit Wednesday night.

James Edward Moore II, 32, was arrested by members of the city police’s tourist protection unit who responded to a report of domestic violence at the couple’s Amorsolo Tower Condominium unit in Barangay Poblacion at around 4:30 p.m., said Senior Inspector Gaylord Tamayo, deputy chief of the city police’s criminal investigation division.

Police officers said the 28-year-old Baniqued-Moore was pronounced dead due to head injuries by Dr. Ma. Lourdes Suntay at the Makati Medical Center at past 6 p.m.

The model reportedly said her husband of four years frequently beat her, a friend of the victim told ABS-CBN.

The friend, identified only as Anna, said Baniqued-Moore’s niece Cristina Rose and personal assistant Marvin Sunga claimed they saw Moore banging his wife’s head against the wall, ABS-CBN reported.

Cristina Rose and Sunga said Moore reportedly handcuffed his wife. They said they were able to free her, but Moore caught his wife near the condominium elevator and beat her again.

Moore then allegedly tried to slit his throat. Police officers brought him to the Ospital ng Makati, where he remains under guard. 

A United States-based website, www.ksl.com, said the incident left Moore’s five-year-old son, who was visiting his father, in the care of an orphanage.

Moore’s ex-wife, Amber Seddon, said the boy has been with his father since September and was supposed to stay in the Philippines until Christmas.

Seddon, who lives in Santaquin, Utah, said she received a phone call from her ex-husband following the incident. She said he asked for forgiveness, threatened to kill himself, then hung up.

Seddon’s father is planning to fly to the Philippines and take his grandson home.