Guard-thief who shot dead dental clinic staff during rob try hunted

Police are hunting a man who introduced himself as a security guard and shot dead a worker at a dental clinic in the middle of a robbery attempt last week.

The Quezon City Police District is verifying the identity of the suspect, a certain Gregorio Custodio, allegedly a security guard at the Banco de Oro branch in Muñoz, Quezon City.

Insp. Elmer Monsalve, QCPD homicide chief, said the suspect even posed as a customer and had his teeth cleaned at the Dr. Felisa Chua Dental Clinic on Roosevelt Avenue in Barangay Mariblo.

Monsalve said the robbery attempt happened at around 5 p.m. last Wednesday during which the clinic’s secretary, Kristy Gene Topinio, 21, was killed.

She was shot in the back of the head and died instantly.

Monsalve said they already have an artist’s sketch of the suspect based on the description of Dr. Dannah Joy Castillo, a dentist of the clinic.

The suspect was described to be 38 to 40 years old, 5’5” to 5’6” in height, and of medium build.

Police have also checked with the BDO Muñoz branch but were told no one under the name of the suspect was working as a security guard there.

Monsalve said they are also checking the name with the Land Transportation Office and the Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agency in Camp Crame.

Investigation showed that the suspect posed as a customer and asked to have his teeth cleaned. After the procedure, Dr. Castillo went to the comfort room to wash her hands when she heard a shot.

Castillo found the secretary sprawled dead on the floor at the clinic’s reception area.

The robber was unable to get anything from the clinic.