Trader shoots ex-lover, kills her parents

Failing to win back the affections of his estranged live-in partner, a man shot and killed her parents and also wounded her before turning the gun on himself Friday night in Manila, the police said.

The suspect, Arvi Villa, a 33-year-old businessman, survived his self-inflicted gunshot to the head and remained in critical condition in the hospital on Saturday.

Villa shot Sergio Aguilar Jr., 47, and his wife Maria Lourdes, 46, at the couple’s unit at Tenement Building, Punta, in Manila’s Sta. Ana district around 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 1, according to Manila Police District homicide investigator PO3 Marlon San Pedro.

After shooting the couple, Villa turned to Maridref Tolentino, his former live-in partner and Maria Lourdes’ daughter from a previous relationship. Tolentino, a 26-year-old call center agent, managed to flee from the unit and call for help despite being hit twice.

Based on Tolentino’s account, Villa went to the see her that night to ask for a second chance but she turned him down. The two had lived together for six years before Tolentino ended the relationship and moved back to her mother and stepfather’s home.

After the talk, Tolentino and her parents were accompanying Villa to his car when the suspect asked if he could return to the unit and use the toilet.

Villa later came back wielding a Jericho 941F pistol, which prompted Tolentino to run away from the suspect and warn her    parents about the weapon.

The spurned Villa first shot Aguilar, hitting him in the arm and nose, before turning to Ma. Lourdes who was hit just above her right eye.

Tolentino was shot in the chest and buttock but managed to escape and ask for help.

Villa then tried to kill himself with a shot to the head, but he was alive albeit writhing in pain when the police arrived at the crime scene.

Tolentino’s stepfather died on the spot while her mother succumbed to her gunshot wound around 2 a.m. on Saturday.

Villa remained in critical condition at Sta. Ana Hospital, while Tolentino was treated at Philippine General Hospital.