Suspect in architecture student’s slay falls

MANILA, Philippines — A suspect in the murder of architecture student Eden Joy Villacete in Occidental Mindoro last June 30 was arrested in Metro Manila on Friday.

Police withheld the suspect’s identity pending the filing of a murder charge before the Occidental Mindoro prosecutor’s office.

Col. Jun Dexter Danao, Occidental Mindoro police director and concurrently created Special Investigation Task Group commander, told The STAR they were able to identify the suspect through videos taken by closed-circuit television cameras near the site before and after the crime occurred.

The suspect told probers he broke into the apartment Villacete had been renting to steal her valuables, but stabbed her when she woke up and tried to fight him. The victim sustained eight stab wounds.

Probers are waiting for the results of an examination to determine if Villacete, a 21-year-old student of Occidental Mindoro State College, was raped, Danao said.

Villacete’s naked, decomposing body was found by police after residents complained of a foul smell coming from the victim’s bedroom.

Villacete’s housemates said the victim was last seen alive on June 28.