LUCENA CITY –– Police arrested a 75-year-old German national as the primary suspect behind the killing of his Filipina wife in Pagbilao town in Quezon province.
Colonel Audie Madrideo, Quezon police chief, in a report released Saturday afternoon, identified the suspect as Martin Carl Otto Turk, an artist painter residing in a place called “Isla German” in Barangay Ibabang Polo.
The report stated that the suspect’s wife, Basilisa Crisologo-Turk, 75, was found dead lying on the ground beside their house and was already in the early stage of decomposition on Friday afternoon.
The report did not state the cause of the victim’s death.
But investigators found one 15-inch long bladed weapon, a 21-inch long piece of wood beside the victim’s body, and a mobile phone.
Police said the victim’s sister, Helinda Crisologo, found the body around 3 p.m. and reported the incident to the police station in nearby Padre Burgos town. Padre Burgos police relayed the report to the Pagbilao police station, which has jurisdiction over the area.
The police reported that on June 24, the victim had informed her relatives that she and the suspect had an argument and that “the suspect threatened to kill the victim.”
The following days, Helinda reportedly tried to contact the victim through her cellphone but failed. The sister eventually went to the victim’s place and found her dead.
The suspect was arrested by barangay tanods (village watchmen) from nearby Barangay Tulay Buhangin and was turned over to police authorities.
The suspect was detained at the Pagbilao police jail as the authorities prepare criminal charges.