Fairview lady killer convicted: Baguio RTC hands down over 17 years in prison

BAGUIO CITY – A Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Baguio City has convicted the suspect in the murder of a 34-year-old man whose body was found inside a rented apartment in Barangay Fairview, sentencing the accused to an indeterminate prison term of 10 years and four months as the minimum to 17 years and four months as the maximum during the promulgation of judgment on July 31, 2026.

The accused, identified only by the alias "Carla," 27, a resident of Pasig City, was found guilty of murdering "Ariel," 34, a native of Tacloban City, Leyte.

In a press release issued on the same day, the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) Police Station 1 said the conviction was the result of a painstaking investigation, proper evidence gathering, effective case build-up, and the combined efforts of investigators, the Baguio City Prosecutor's Office, barangay officials, barangay tanods, witnesses, and other stakeholders.

Police also highlighted the role of technology in solving the case, stating that despite the absence of a direct eyewitness to the killing, investigators established a strong chain of circumstantial evidence pointing to the accused as the perpetrator.

The case stemmed from the discovery of the victim's body inside a rented room in Purok 2, Barangay Fairview, on March 8, 2026.

Police said that between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. on March 6, a woman tending a nearby store noticed a foul odor coming from the victim's apartment. She again detected the smell at around 10:00 p.m. on March 7. Concerned because the victim had not been seen for several days, she reported the matter to the apartment owner and barangay officials.

At around 3:00 p.m. on March 8, two barangay officials, the apartment owner, and other witnesses opened the victim's rented room using a duplicate key. Inside, they found bloodstains on the floor and walls, while the victim's body had been covered with garbage bags and clothing. They immediately sought police assistance.

According to Police Major Harriet Bulcio, investigators linked the accused to the crime through Facebook conversations with the victim, witness accounts that the accused had asked for directions to the victim's residence, and testimonies placing the accused near the apartment around the time of the killing.

Investigators also established that the accused and the victim had previously been detained in the same jail facility in January 2026 for separate violations of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Another witness reported seeing an unfamiliar individual walking toward the victim's apartment, while another claimed to have seen the accused hurriedly leaving the area shortly after the incident. Police Major Bulcio said investigators believed robbery was the motive after the victim's cellphone, cash, and laptop were reported missing.

According to BCPO Police Station 1, the case was filed before the proper court, a warrant of arrest was issued, and the accused was later arrested before standing trial, which culminated in the conviction handed down by the RTC on July 31, 2026.

Police said the case demonstrates how meticulous investigation, technology-assisted police work, and close coordination among investigators, prosecutors, local officials, and witnesses can bring offenders to justice even without a direct eyewitness to the crime.