Murder of Geneva Lopez

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On July 6, 2024, the remains of Geneva Lopez, a Filipino beauty pageant contestant, and her Israeli partner Yitshak Cohen, were discovered in Capas, Tarlac, Philippines, following search operations since they had been reported missing on June 21.[1]

Background

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Sarita and the surname or paternal family name is Lopez.
Geneva Lopez
Born
Geneva Sarita Lopez

December 31, 1997
Santo Tomas, Pampanga, Philippines
Diedc. 21 June 2024(2024-06-21) (aged 26)[2]
Capas, Tarlac, Philippines
Cause of deathMurder and Gunshot Wound
NationalityFilipino
PartnerYitshak Cohen
Beauty pageant titleholder
TitleMutya ng Pilipinas Pampanga 2023
Hair colorBlack
Eye colorBlack

Geneva Sarita Lopez (December 31, 1997 – c. June 21, 2024) was a Filipino model, businesswoman, and beauty pageant titleholder.[1]

Lopez was born in Pampanga. She reportedly pursued her secondary education in Santo Tomas, and later worked at a BPO company at the Clark Freeport Zone.[3]

Lopez had competed in beauty pageants, including the Mutya ng Pilipinas Pampanga 2023. At the time of her disappearance, the same organization had no final date yet for the pageant's 2024 edition where she was about to represent Santo Tomas.[3]

Prior to the disappearances of Lopez and her Israeli fiancé Yitshak Cohen,[3] they had been residing in Angeles City.[4][5]

Disappearance and death

Lopez and Cohen were last seen alive on June 21, 2024, when they went to Capas, Tarlac, to check the agricultural land they planned to purchase, as well as to meet a middleman, a certain Michael Angelo Guiang who was a former police officer,[6] and discuss a prior real estate deal between Cohen and Guiang.[4][5] Guiang, reportedly set a meeting with Cohen, had told him that he would give him the property in exchange for his unpaid debt.[5]

A day later, their SUV was seen burning along the highway at the same municipality, where her partially burned belongings were recovered.[4][5] They were reported missing since then[4] and for two weeks.[5]

On July 6, their bodies were found in a quarry site in Capas.[5] Both sustained gunshot wounds.[7] Lopez was later interred in Minalin, Pampanga;[8] Cohen's remains were immediately flown back to Israel.[5]

Investigation

There are seven persons of interest in the killing, five of them are currently under police custody. Guiang, being tagged as the mastermind,[8] and another dismissed police officer are among the three who had been arrested, yet for another cases; while two surrendered.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Sequiña, Mariel Celine (26 June 2024). "TIMELINE: What is known so far about missing beauty pageant bet, boyfriend". gmanetwork.com. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  2. ^ Manabat, Johann (6 July 2024). "Bodies of missing beauty queen, boyfriend found in Tarlac". Rappler. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Rivera, Janey (7 July 2024). "Who Was Geneva Lopez? 7 Things About the Late Beauty Queen". Preview. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d Manabat, Joann (24 June 2024). "Mutya ng Pilipinas Pampanga 2023 candidate, boyfriend reported missing". Rappler. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g "Israeli man and his partner found dead in Philippines quarry after 2 weeks of searches". The Times of Israel. 6 July 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  6. ^ a b Argosino, Faith (10 July 2024). "5 persons of interest in Geneva Lopez, boyfriend's slay under custody". Inquirer.net. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  7. ^ Daguno–Bersamina, Kristine (7 July 2024). "Beauty pageant candidate, Israeli fiancé die from gunshot wounds". Philstar.com. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Pageant contestant Geneva Lopez, Yitshak Cohen laid to rest". GMA Integrated News. 12 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
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