19-year old student killed, mutilated in Manila; suspect nabbed

MANILA, Philippines — A 19-year old male student was murdered and then mutilated in Tondo, Manila, the Manila Police District (MPD) said.

Authorities identified the arrested suspect as Dante Reyes, 42 years old, while the victim was identified as Rusty Dela Cruz.

Reyes was arrested on Dec. 30, around 10:30 p.m.

According to the MPD, the father of the victim reported his son missing to the authorities on Dec. 30, before an investigation was immediately conducted.

According to the investigation, the victim was last seen at about 1:20 p.m. on Dec. 29, 2021, parking his motorcycle at Severino Reyes Street, Tondo, Manila before he entered the suspect’s rented house.

At about 11:50 p.m. on Dec. 29, Reyes was captured by a closed-circuit camera (CCTV) as he was carrying two large white sacks. Reyes then loaded the sacks into a white taxicab which he then drove towards Severino Reyes Street.

Then on Dec. 30, at about 5:00 p.m., authorities received a call from the Bacoor City Police Station about a mutilated male cadaver that was stuffed inside two white sacks. The sacks were found in a vacant lot along Bacoor Boulevard, Barangay Niog 3, Bacoor, Cavite.

The mutilated body was later identified as Dela Cruz. It was the victim’s brother who made the identification.

Police then proceeded to arrest the suspect at around 10:30 p.m, where one bladed weapon was also confiscated from him.

The MPD has yet to establish the motive for the murder. Meanwhile,  a case of murder is being prepared against Reyes who will be presented for inquest proceedings at the Manilal City Prosecutors Office.

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