Sketch of suspect in raping, killing of deaf-mute out

CEBU, Philippines - The Lapu-Lapu City Police yesterday released the artist’s sketch of the man who allegedly raped and killed a 17-year-old deaf-mute in Barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City dawn last Sunday.

A 31-year-old witness said the man she saw with the victim last was about 20 years old, stood about 5’4, had a slim built, had a fair complexion, and sported a one-length hairstyle. He also reportedly had typical shaped eyes and nose and small, thin lips.

PO2 John Carlo Jocutan of the homicide section said the sketch did not match any of the pictures in their gallery of wanted individuals.

Copies of the sketch have been distributed to all the units of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office, including the City Intelligence Branch, Investigation and Detective Management Branch, and the Theft and Robbery Section.

Last Tuesday night, authorities invited for questioning a man who has a pending rape case, but they found out he was not in the barangay during the time the victim was raped and killed.

The victim was believed to be raped by more than one man. She was found half naked and in a state of decomposition in a grassy and secluded area by Jerry Rondina, a stone craft worker who was about to answer the “call of nature”.

She was last seen on June 11 together with her two friends attending a benefit dance in the said barangay.

Her friends claimed they were all drunk when the victim excused herself to buy ice water outside the dancing area but she never came back.

On June 12, the victim’s sister went to the Women’s and Children’s Desk of the LCPO and reported that her sister had been missing.

Dr. Nestor Sator of the PNP Crime Laboratory who conducted an autopsy revealed that the victim was hit with a hard object, based from the wound between her two eyebrows and nose bridge. Contusions and bruises were also found on both her arms and different parts of her body. — (FREEMAN)